How will Mikel Arteta line-up his injury-ravaged side, who will deal with Mo Salah and which defence will come out on top? – Things to look out for in Gunners’ showdown with Liverpool

There is no doubt which Premier League match is the most important of the weekend, as leaders Liverpool travel to the Emirates to take on Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal on Sunday.

Both teams enjoyed an impressive start to the season and put themselves in the title race alongside Man City.

However, Arsenal suffered a severe setback when they lost 2-0 to Bournemouth, leaving them four points behind Arne Slot’s team at the top of the table.

With just four points separating the hosts from their weekend visitors, Arteta’s men already need to win at all costs to keep pace with the league leaders.

Here, Mail Sport looks at five important talking points ahead of the big game.

Arsenal’s title hopes are already on a knife’s edge

We may only be eight games into the season, but there is a real feeling among many that Arsenal’s title hopes are at stake this Sunday.

The Gunners have learned the hard way over the last two seasons that you simply cannot afford too many mistakes when competing with the likes of Man City.

A defeat to Liverpool would leave Mikel Arteta’s men seven points off the top, with difficult trips to Newcastle and Chelsea to follow.

The positive atmosphere has begun to dissipate at the Emirates and Arsenal are yet to put in a truly convincing 90-minute display in the top flight this season.

City look as ruthless as ever and a win for Liverpool could make the table look like a two-horse race.

Liverpool have taken the defensive crown from Arsenal

Arsenal have been praised for their defense in recent times and the Gunners boasted the best defensive record in the league last season.

The north London club continued this at the start of this campaign, but have started to concede goals more frequently in recent weeks.

And it is the Reds who have taken on the role of the league’s most impregnable defense.

Slot’s team have conceded just three goals in eight Premier League games, half as many as any other team.

That total is three times lower than at the same stage last season. They have by far the best record in terms of expected goals against.

A major factor has been the return to full fitness of Ibrahima Konate, who has started every game alongside Virgil van Dijk since the opening day clash against Ipswich, where he came on at half-time replacing Jarrell Quansah.

Konate only started 17 Premier League games in each of the last two seasons and never started more than four consecutive games in Jurgen Klopp’s final campaign.

They may not have the same attacking talent as Klopp’s team, but Slot’s focus on the foundations of the defense has certainly made them a tougher nut to crack.

First real Slot test

Arne Slot couldn’t have hoped for a better start at Anfield, but few could argue that he didn’t have a favorable run of games to begin with.

Liverpool did not have to face any of last season’s top seven in their first seven games, but were given a real test against Chelsea at home last weekend.

The fact is that the Reds have yet to face any member of the current top 10 away from home and now visit a ground that many consider a strength.

It’s in the big away games where a team’s title credentials really shine and this is a chance for the Slot team to silence any lingering skeptics.

How will Arteta combat the injury crisis?

The biggest question heading into Sunday is how Arsenal will line up amid the club’s injury crisis.

The Gunners, also without the suspended William Saliba, could be missing up to seven stars on Sunday.

Captain Martin Odegaard has been sidelined for six weeks with an ankle injury and is unlikely to feature, while there are some hopes that Bukayo Saka could return from a minor hamstring problem he suffered during the international break.

Arsenal fans are desperate to see Ethan Nwaneri replace Odegaard, but Arteta is unlikely to throw him into the deep end.

Leandro Trossard is more likely to start there, while Gabriel Jesus could replace Saka after looking good against Shakhtar Donetsk.

It is in defense where the main problem lies: Gabriel is the only member of this season’s starting four who is available and fully fit.

Riccardo Calafiori is out after suffering a knock on Tuesday night, while Jurrien Timber has missed the last three games with a muscle problem.

There are hopes that Timber can play, but if he can’t, there will be a problem to solve at right back.

Ben White is likely to partner Gabriel at centre-back, meaning Arteta may be forced to play Thomas Partey at right-back again with Mikel Merino taking his place in midfield.

And the loss of Calafiori does not make things easier at left back, something we will address in the next point.

Who will be tasked with taking care of Salah?

There was a collective groan around the Emirates on Tuesday night when it became clear that Calafiori could no longer continue.

Not only because the Italian has quickly endeared himself to his fans since his arrival from Bologna in the summer, but also because they knew exactly what he could mean for Sunday.

One of the best right wingers of the last decade will line up for Liverpool in the form of Mo Salah and will be licking his lips in the absence of Arsenal’s first-choice left back.

Takehiro Tomiyasu has blocked Salah in the past, but he will also be watching from the stands.

Arteta now has three options and none of them inspire much confidence in Arsenal fans given the challenge ahead.

Oleksandr Zinchenko should be available but his defensive shortcomings will be a concern, especially considering Salah’s torrid time at Anfield over the past two seasons.

Jakub Kiwior could also fill the role and impressed against the Reds at the Emirates last year, but he is a player few Arsenal fans think highly of.

The third option is Myles Lewis-Skelly, who looks to have a bright future ahead of him but has only played one minute in the Premier League.