Arsenal v Liverpool, Saturday 2nd November 5.30pm, Emirates Stadium, Premier League, Sky Sports 1
Arsenal enter key week in season
Arsène Wenger has been here before. It’s one of those moments in a club’s season when it feels like the world is watching, ready to scrutinize any slip-ups. Despite an excellent start to their Premier League campaign, in mid-week Arsenal were knocked out of the League Cup on home turf by neighbours Chelsea, and, though clearly the Gunners have priorities elsewhere, the defeat could be more keenly felt on March 2, when the final is played at Wembley – particularly if Wenger’s men are not doing well in other competitions.
How well Arsenal are doing in four months’ time may well depend on the next 9 days. After entertaining Liverpool on Saturday evening, Wenger takes his side to Dortmund in a crucial Champions League tie, before ending the week at Old Trafford, where the Frenchman will face post-Sir Alex Ferguson Manchester United for the first time. It’s a truly testing schedule that will test Arsenal’s squad – already robbed of the services of Mathieu Flamini, Theo Walcott & Lukas Podolski, among others – and give an indication of whether the eight-year trophy drought is likely to end in 2014.
Liverpool head to London full of confidence
It hasn’t been this good at Anfield in five years. It was at the beginning of the 2008/09 season when Liverpool last began a campaign in such outstanding fashion. Collecting 23 points from their opening nine league fixtures back then, Rafael Benítez’s team ended up second, four points off champions Manchester United. This time around, Brendan Rodgers’ outfit have managed 20 points from their first nine. Forwards Luis Suárez (6 goals in 5 appearances) and Daniel Sturridge (10 in 11) are running riot for Liverpool, whilst midfielders Lucas, Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson have brought balance to Rodgers’ side, benefiting from the new system, a fluid 3-4-1-2.
Match Facts
* Arsenal have lost just 1 of their last 12 clashes with Liverpool, winning 4 and drawing 7.
* Suárez has 6 goals and 1 assist in 4 Premier League games since returning from suspension.
* Arsenal won each of their last 3 league games at Highbury against Liverpool but have won only 2 of 7 since they moved to the Emirates Stadium in 2006.
* Aaron Ramsey has 5 goals and 3 assists in his last 6 Premier League appearances.
* November is Arsenal’s least productive month in Premier League history with the Gunners gaining only 1.55 points per game.
* Liverpool and Arsenal players have both scored 34 Premier League hat-tricks, more than any other club in the competition.
* Liverpool have hit the woodwork 8 times this season and have done so 60 times since August 2011, both Premier League-high figures.
Team News
Arsenal
Arteta returns from suspension. Flamini (groin), Gnabry (ankle), Walcott (abdominal) and Podolski (hamstring) remain out but could all return next weekend. Chamberlain (knee), Diaby (knee) and Sanogo (back) are long-term injuries.
Liverpool
Coutinho (shoulder) returns to the squad, but Enrique (knee), Aspas (thigh) and Coates (knee) remain out.
Arsenal XI: Szczęsny – Sagna Mertesacker Koscielny Gibbs – Arteta Wilshere – Ramsey Özil Cazorla – Giroud
Bench: Fabiański, Vermaelen, Jenkinson, Monreal, Rosický, Ryo, Bendtner
Liverpool XI: Mignolet – Touré Škrtel Sakho – Johnson Lucas Henderson Cissokho – Gerrard – Suárez Sturridge
Bench: Jones, Agger, Kelly, Allen, Coutinho, Sterling, Moses
Manager views
Arsène Wenger
“It is an important period of course, but I’m quite confident and you can see I’m quite relaxed because I have the complete confidence that we will deal well with it. I take it as an opportunity to show our strengths and I am completely sure that the players will be up for it and take this opportunity. In the kind of games that we play [against Liverpool], you always find out a lot about your squad. I don’t need to find out too much because we are a very stable team who, since January 1, has taken more points than anybody else.”
Brendan Rodgers
“We have shown that we have quality in the team, that we’ve got a winning mentality, which is important, and that we can consistently bring that to the table. Saturday won’t be the be-all-and-end-all in terms of whether we can make the top four or not, but I think what we have shown so far is that we are going to be in the conversation. I believe we are in a good moment. We have started the season as we would have wanted – strong – and I think we can only get better and improve.”
Prediction
With Chelsea travelling to Newcastle in Saturday’s early fixture, Arsenal could be dethroned of top place going into tomorrow’s game. Wenger knows, despite the mid-week disappointment in the League Cup, his side are still top of both the Premier League and their Champions League group, and will look at the next three fixtures as a great opportunity to prove Arsenal are the real deal.
Rodgers, on the other hand, will know last time out on the road his side failed to defeat 10-man Newcastle, whilst not too long ago came a somewhat fortunate point at Swansea. How Mertersacker and Koscielny deal with Suárez and Sturridge will clearly be imperative in the game’s outcome, whilst Rodgers’ team will need to nulify the threat of Özil, Cazorla and in-form Ramsey.
It’s difficult to separate the two sides, I’m sitting on the fence. 2-2.
Having a bet on the game? Why not check out THC’s top tips:
Arsenal and Liverpool to draw -> With both teams on form, could they cancel each other out? Back the draw, here: Back this with BetVictor, by clicking HERE
Luis Suarez to score anytime -> With all the speculation surrounding a possible move for Luis Suarez to Arsenal, he’s bound to score against the North London club, surely? Back this on BetVictor, by clicking HERE
Both teams to score and Arsenal to win -> The both teams to score bet is surely a given with this game? Why not boost the odds by backing Arsenal to win too: Back this on BetVictor, by clicking HERE
2-2, Correct score -> This is Samuel’s prediction for the game, and it makes sense. Both sides are potent in front of goal, so why not back the 2-2 draw here: Back this on BetVictor, by clicking HERE
Olivier Giroud to be Arsenal’s first scorer -> Backing first goalscorers in the game not your thing? Why not back Olivier Giroud to just be Arsenal’s first scorer, regardless of whether Liverpool scored? Back this on BetVictor, by clicking HERE
