Liverpool vs Arsenal Odds & Prediction – EFL Cup Semifinals Leg 1

• English giants meet in delayed EFL Carabao Cup clash at Anfield at 2:45 ET pm on Thursday
• Liverpool hammered Arsenal 4-0 at home in their last EPL meeting in November
• See all the odds and best bets for Liverpool vs Arsenal in the England EFL Cup Semifinals Leg 1

Arsenal will be chasing its last realistic hope of winning silverware this season when it visits Liverpool in the EFL Carabao Cup Semifinal, first leg on Thursday.

The tie was canceled on January 6 as Liverpool suffered from a Covid-19 outbreak.

And it has certainly become more important for Arsenal now after the team suffered a shock 1-0 defeat by EFL Championship side Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup Third Round last Sunday.

Liverpool vs Arsenal Odds

Odds as of January 11 at Barstool Sportsbook

The Gunners are fourth in the Premier League. However, it sits 18 points behind leaders Manchester City so is highly unlikely to win the title.

Furthermore, Arsenal is not involved in European competition so the Carabao Cup offers coach Mikel Arteta his one remaining chance of success.

Liverpool, meanwhile, is still fighting on four fronts in the EPL, the Champions League, the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup.

Anfield’s German coach Jurgen Klopp has yet to win either of England’s domestic cup competitions since taking charge in 2015.

Place In Wembley Final at Stake

So he is accordingly eager to book a trip to Wembley for the Carabao Cup final on February 27 against the winner of Tottenham vs Chelsea.

The oddsmakers at Barstool Sportsbook, therefore, make Liverpool favorites for a first-leg win at +102.

Arsenal, meanwhile, is priced at +245 with the draw at +290.

.@Kuyt looks ahead to #LFC’s Carabao Cup semi-final with Arsenal and answers your questions in his latest column ⤵️

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 11, 2022

The most attractive option here, though, is the price of +290 offered for Arsenal youngster Eddie Nketiah to get on the scoresheet.

He hit a hat-trick in the previous round against Sunderland and was on target in the two previous ties for a tally of five in the competition.

The first leg game kicks off at 2:45pm ET with the second leg scheduled for January 20.

Liverpool vs Arsenal Statistics EFL CupvStats

*Statistics from Carabao Cup 2021-22

The delay in staging the tie means Liverpool has given up the advantage of staging the second leg at home – with venues now switched so the second leg takes place in London.

However, Liverpool hammered Arsenal 4-0 when the teams met in the EPL in November at Anfield. It was also a 3-0 winner at Arsenal in the EPL last February.

Although both clubs have fielded second-string sides earlier in the competition, both coaches will favor strong line-ups.

Both Teams Have Key Players at AFCON

Both teams, however, are missing key players who have left on international duty at the African Cup of Nations.

Significantly, Liverpool is without goal-getters Mo Salah and Sadio Mane along with midfielder Naby Keita.

That will certainly be a major problem for Liverpool with Salah having scored 26 goals this season and Mane having hit the net 24 times.

Klopp will, furthermore, also be without the marauding full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold after a positive COVID-19 test.

“I can’t criticise the attitude because they were trying, but it’s the way we tried… it wasn’t good enough.”

Mikel Arteta's honest assessment of the @EmiratesFACup defeat at Nottingham Forest 👇

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 10, 2022

The team is third in the EPL. However, it has stuttered recently and is without a league win in three games.

It earned a 2-2 draw at Chelsea in its last outing in the EPL on January 2, following a 1-0 defeat at Leicester and a 2-2 draw at Tottenham Hotspur.

The north London side has been in prolific goal-scoring form in this competition.

Arsenal, meanwhile, is without four leading players – Thomas Partey, Mohammed Elneny, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe as well as youngster Omar Rekik.

The north London side has been in prolific goal-scoring form in this competition.

🗣 "I want to stay, but it's not in my hands. It's in their hands, They know what I want. I'm not asking for crazy stuff."

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 11, 2022

It has put six past West Bromwich Albion, three past Wimbledon and two past Leeds United in earlier rounds – before following up with a 5-1 win at home against Sunderland in the quarterfinal.

Moreover, this cup run has come during a decent run of league form with Arsenal recording four straight wins before it was narrowly beaten 2-1 at home by leaders Manchester City last time out in the EPL.

Shock FA Cup Setback Hits Gunners

The FA Cup defeat by Forest was a major setback, however. And coach Arteta is likely to start with striker Alexandre Lacazette against Liverpool after he began on the bench in the FA Cup tie.

Previously, Liverpool won 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out against fellow EPL side Leicester City in the quarterfinal after the tie ended 3-3 after extra time.

It had overcome Norwich City and Preston North End in the earlier rounds.

Onto the next.
All eyes on Liverpool.

🔜 #CarabaoCup pic.twitter.com/xx51Ybhuzg

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 11, 2022

Last weekend, it was a  4-1 winner at home in the FA Cup Third Round against Shrewsbury Town with Roberto Firminho scoring twice.

And, in conclusion, Liverpool may well win this te. But there is still a strong likelihood that Arsenal’s Nketiah will find the net on Merseyside.

Pick: Eddie Nketiah +290 (To Score Anytime)