With the last international break of the season behind us, the Premier League moves into its home straight. At the moment, Arsenal have a head of steam with six straight wins at their back.
Liverpool’s top 4 ambitions were dented last time around with defeat to Manchester United and another defeat to Arsenal would create a 9 point gap between the teams come tomorrow afternoon, which would be difficult to surmount in seven games.
For Arsenal, a victory would keep them hot on the heals of 2nd place and severely dent the prospects of a direct competitor. Defeat would leave just a 3 point gap between the sides and move us into squeaky bum territory.
For the first time in memory, every single member of Arsenal’s first team is in full training (we love you, Shad!), whilst Liverpool have some injuries and suspensions to contend with.
Liverpool found joy at Anfield in December with a high pressing game that restricted Arsenal’s attacking threat and kept them on the back foot for the majority of the match. It remains to be seen whether Brendan Rodgers will deploy the same tactic at the Emirates.
Vital Quotes:
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was in coy mood at his pre match press conference, refusing to be drawn on Arsenal’s slim title prospects, ‘We have the aspiration to win the next game and that`s quite good enough. After that, win the next one,’ he told arsenal.com.
‘Whatever is mathematically possible you have to try to achieve but that doesn`t depend only on us. What does only depend on us in the final run is our performances and our results, so let`s focus on that. After that if everything goes for us, you never know, but you can only master your own performances so let`s focus on that and be realistic and continue to earn the right to win the games. That`s what we want.’
On rumours of a move for Raheem Sterling the Arsenal manager refused to be drawn, ‘Raheem Sterling is a top player, everybody in the country knows that now. He is a very important player for Liverpool of course. I don`t want to interfere in [reports about Sterling’s future], especially 48 hours before the game. That`s down to Liverpool, I don`t want to interfere in that. It`s not my problem. I do not want to speak about any move. We are not in a transfer period, we are in front of a big game. I respect Liverpool and I do not want to go into any supposed move for any of their players.’
Brendan Rodgers’ pre match press conference, meanwhile, was entirely centred around the future of Raheem Sterling, ‘If Raheem is saying that his ambition is to win trophies and be successful, then it’s perfectly aligned with what we’re looking to do. Arsenal is a fantastic football club, of course, but this is Liverpool and this is one of the great clubs of the football world.
‘For Raheem to be playing here is an honour for him, to play here at a club like Liverpool in front of our great supporters. And he understands that and sees that. I think what he’s saying overall is that he’s got two-and-a-half years left on his contract, he is quite relaxed – as much as I am – about the situation and between now and the end of the season he just wants to really focus on that.
‘I think it’s part of the modern game now; people who look after players and represent players will have different ways of working. I’ve seen that in all my years in football and different experiences. The focus is purely on the football.
‘Raheem has now been involved with the first team for two-and-a-half years and in that the player he is today – and he has still got a lot of improvements to make – is because of the environment and what we’ve created here. He has still got learning and development to make, on the pitch and off the field.
‘We feel here is a great place for him. I’m quite relaxed; there are two-and-a-half years to go on his deal and he’s not going anywhere in the summer. We’ll very much focus on trying to make him the best player that we can.’
Arsenal Team News:
Mathieu Debuchy (shoulder), Mikel Arteta (ankle), Jack Wilshere (ankle) and Abou Diaby all came through a behind closed doors friendly against Brentford on Tuesday. It remains to be seen whether they will be considered for the match day squad.
Danny Welbeck (knee) will have a late fitness test, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain (hamstring) is training but is not ready for contention.
Arsenal (from); Szczesny, Debuchy, Gibbs, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Koscielny, Rosicky, Wilshere, Özil, Giroud, Ospina, Walcott, Ramsey, Alexis, Monreal, S.Cazorla, Flamini, Chambers, Welbeck, Coquelin, Bellerin.
Player to watch: Alexis Sanchez
The Chilean has been a tad off colour recently with one goal in his last twelve games. He is understandably beginning to look weary, but he’s still an automatic pick based on his quality. Saturday would be a good time to get a reminder of why he is one of the Premier League’s star turns.
Liverpool Team News:
Liverpool will be without captain Steven Gerrard and centre half Martin Skrtel, both of whom begin three match bans for violent conduct.
Daniel Sturridge (hip) and Adam Lallana (groin) are both likely to be in the squad, despite withdrawing from international duty recently. Lucas Leiva (knee) is still out.
Liverpool (from); Jones, Johnson, Jose Enrique, Toure, Lovren, Lambert, Coutinho, Henderson, Sturridge, Sakho, Moreno, Manquillo, Lallana, Mignolet, Can, Allen, Sterling, Ibe, Balotelli.
Player to watch: Raheem Sterling
The talk of Fleet Street recently due to his contract ‘saga’ but there’s no doubting that Sterling, who has been linked with Arsenal, is one of Liverpool’s danger men.
Given his pace, I would not be surprised to see Gabriel again preferred to Per Mertesacker at centre half. Sterling will want to hog the headlines for reasons other than his future.
Match Facts & Stats
rsenal have only lost one of their last seven league and cup games against Liverpool (W4, D2) – with that defeat a 5-1 thrashing at Anfield in February 2014.
The Reds have won just one of their last 18 matches away to the Gunners in all competitions (D7, L10). Their solitary victory in that sequence was by 2-0 at the Emirates in August 2011.
This game has produced five Premier League hat-tricks – more than any other fixture.
The Gunners have only won one of their last 11 home league games against sides in the current top five (Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool), drawing seven of those matches and losing three.
Arsenal have scored in all 22 league and cup matches at the Emirates this season.
Liverpool can set a club record by keeping a clean sheet in a seventh consecutive top-flight away match. Their current six-match streak equals sequences recorded in 1966 and 1972.
The Reds have claimed 26 Premier League points in 2015 – only Arsenal, with 27, have a better record.
All stats courtesy of opta.
Ref Watch:
The referee will be Anthony Taylor.
Match Prediction:
I think a draw is the most likely outcome here, which would suit Arsenal more than Liverpool. 1-1 with the goals coming from Alexis and Sturridge.
Next Fixtures:
Arsenal are away at Burnley next Saturday at 5.30pm. Liverpool are away at Blackburn Rovers in their F.A. Cup quarter final replay on Tuesday night at 7.45pm.