Arsenal welcome Liverpool to the Emirates Stadium in a blockbuster rearranged Premier League clash.
Victory would see fourth-placed Arsenal open up a four-point gap to fifth-placed Manchester United in the race for fourth, whereas Liverpool can cut their deficit to league leaders – Manchester City down to a single point with a win.
Team News
Arsenal have no fresh injury concerns to report after Sunday’s win over Leicester as Emile Smith Rowe and Nicolas Pepe look for starts, having made substitute appearances at the weekend.
Takehiro Tomiyasu (calf) remains absent.
Liverpool could welcome Ibrahima Konate back from a knock which has kept him out of their last two league matches.
Mohamed Salah is a doubt after suffering a foot injury in Saturday’s win at Brighton but James Milner and Konstantinos Tsimikas (both illness) are ruled out.
Stat Attack
- Arsenal have won just one of their last 13 league meetings against Liverpool (W1, D4, L8).
- Liverpool have lost one of their last six league visits to Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium (W2, D3, L1).
- Jurgen Klopp’s Reds have scored in each of their last five league visits to Arsenal.
- Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have scored twice in each of their last three matches at home (W3).
- Liverpool have scored nine goals in their last three league matches without conceding.
Prediction
With three difficult games in hand and currently sat above their rivals for a top-four finish, Arsenal can seize the early initiative if they show the same clinical organisation and game control in this match like they did against Leicester on Sunday.
Liverpool however won’t make life easy as they look to get roughly level pegging with Man City in the title race with a win here, especially after a great defensive effort to keep a clean sheet at Brighton on top of clinical attacking moves and long ball play to rip open the Seagulls’ defence.
This match however is one which neither team can afford to lose so I can see an initially tight and cagey start, which might suit Liverpool more if they can execute the long ball passes when Arsenal least expect and their attack can clinically take advantage with their pace.
Prediction: Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool
Result: Arsenal 0-2 Liverpool
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