Liverpool could move eight points clear in the Premier League table later today if Jürgen Klopp’s side can beat Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. Mikel Arteta’s team could really do with getting a victory in order to close the current five-point gap.

The Reds were worried about a potential injury to Uruguayan forward Darwin Núñez, who needed a protective boot as he departed from Anfield midweek after the 4-1 win over Chelsea, but he returned to training on Friday and appeared to be playing as normal. Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold are among those hoping to return to the starting line-up.

Conor Bradley may not be involved after the sad death of his father at the age of 58, just days after he netted his first Premier League goal. But Liverpool will not need many changes from the team that swept Chelsea aside on Wednesday.

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These are the teams that some of our Liverpool.com writers would select. The big decisions are at full-back and perhaps also whether or not Cody Gakpo is brought into the forward line. Joe Gomez will be expecting to start after a superb run of form from him at left-back. Liverpool has a free week after today’s game, not playing again until next Saturday against Burnley.

Matt Addison – Darwin Núñez is a must

Most of this team picks itself for me. I’m going with the first-choice back four aside from Robertson. Gomez is more than worthy of keeping his place in the side. The midfield should be the same as it was midweek, where Alexis Mac Allister could be vital.

In the attack, Núñez needs to start if he is fit enough. Gakpo will need to make an impact off the bench in that case, though there is no reason to think that he and Harvey Elliott cannot produce some second-half magic. For those who don’t start, the game could easily be won by someone coming off the bench.

My starting XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konaté, Van Dijk, Gomez; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Jones; Jota, Núñez, Díaz

Predicted scoreline: 2-1 to Liverpool.

One thing to watch:Who comes out on top between Alexis Mac Allister and Declan Rice?

James Martin – Diogo Jota starts

The vast majority of the dilemmas here lie in defense. As a disclaimer, this is not so much my predicted team as the one I’d just about be going for.

Let’s not bury the lede: I’d have plumped for Bradley over Alexander-Arnold before the tragic news about his father. I could not ignore that Chelsea performance, one of the best individual performances you’re ever likely to see — and on the back of good showings ever since he came into the side. But things, understandably, are likely to have changed now.

Klopp has been using Alexander-Arnold as a break-glass option in midfield for much of the season anyway. It would not be all that different to unleash him there from the bench as opposed to moving him over from right-back.

But moving away from that issue, there’s another debate on the other side. Here, again, I’d be favoring continuity; Robertson will need to win his place back from the excellent Gomez.

In midfield, it’s Mac Allister, Jones and Szoboszlai for the foreseeable future in the biggest games. They have earned those places in the pecking order.

Up top, Núñez is a certainty if fit. So too is Jota, who has been in brilliant form, while we’ve seen enough shoots of recovery from Díaz lately to keep him in ahead of Gakpo.

My starting XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konaté, Van Dijk, Gomez; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Jones; Jota, Núñez, Díaz

Predicted scoreline: 3-1 to Liverpool.

One thing to watch: The battle between Gabriel Martinelli and the Liverpool right-back.

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