Match Preview: Arsenal v Liverpool; In search of more Anfield Glory
Arsenal v Liverpool. For Arsenal fans it’s a chance to remember some glorious moments in our history and with this match it’s a chance for both clubs to show that they are back.
For the last few years Arsenal have walked a very tight line financially and on the field as they tried to mark a path of self-sustainability that would see them able to compete with the biggest European clubs but without the aid of a “Sugar Daddy.” The result was a team that was competitive but only in terms of maintaining its base standard of Champion’s League Qualifications.
Liverpool went down a markedly different path as it had to overcome the mismanagement of the club by owners who had no business running the club. The result for the Merseyside outfit, were years burdened by debt that saw it slip out of the top of the echelons of the league and into the morass that is mid-table mediocrity.
However, as we look at the table it’s a chance to see and perhaps hope that glory times for both clubs are back. Arsenal sit atop the table and Liverpool are well ensconced in the fight for Champion’s League qualification. The two take each other on with lofty hopes and dreams on tap for the club that manages to get a positive result.
In the last meeting at the Emirates both were fighting for top positioning and Liverpool had a chance to close down Arsenal who were top at the time with Suarez and company in second. The visit showed a gap did exist between the two clubs as Arsenal firmly bossed the midfield, kept the duo of Suarez and Sturridge off the board, and wound up with an emphatic 2-0 win.
As the Gunners get set to visit Anfield, both clubs continue to defy the odds. Liverpool are amidst an impressive home run of their own. One that has seen them settle nicely into the Champion’s League qualification spot. Arsenal’s model of methodical, consistent play has seen grasp the top of the table again with a 2 point difference between Manchester City and Chelsea.
While Liverpool seem to be many pundit’s favorites to get the 4th Champion’s League spot, Arsenal are still doubted as true title contenders. This match and a tricky run in both February and March will make or break the season. This match up with Liverpool is the start of what could be something special if Arsenal continue their solid run.
It won’t be easy. I truly doubt that Arsenal will be able to succeed in keeping either Sturridge or Suarez off the board. But the strategy at Anfield has to be approached in the same way it was at the Emirates. Deny Liverpool’s midfield the ball and then creating chances will be hard.
Meanwhile Arsenal need to take their desire to always have the ball and be effective in creating space between Gerard who likely will act as the DM and Liverpool’s makeshift back 4. For all of Liverpool’s attacking prowess their midfield and defense remain suspect and you’d be hard pressed to find any of the Liverpool defensive starters as anyone’s chosen first choices.
The difference I think has to be that Arsenal need to strike first and early. At home against lesser teams their methodical approach finds them winning when they need to and finding goals at the right moment. As both Arsenal and Liverpool will be up for this match, Arsenal need to strike first and take the Anfield faithful out of the occasion and get Liverpool chasing the match.
At the Emirates Arsenal employed its ball control and high tempo pressing to force mistakes and ultimately doom the Merseysiders. It led to a lot of frustrated scousers and the chances Suarez or Sturridge did get were often half chances, from range and often wide. This has to be the case again. Arsenal simply can’t give Coutinho or Henderson the opportunity to feed the impressive attack that Brendan Rodgers can employ. Starve Liverpool of the ball and you can dominate them.
They’ve been quite effective this year against the lesser teams but have found them wanting against teams above and around them. In fact Suarez has yet to score against any of the teams fighting for the title. Even worse in the 76 games he has played for Liverpool he has only managed 6 goals against the top 4. Should Arsenal deprive Liverpool of the ball then you can see a chance where he and/or Sturridge won’t be a factor. Still, the duo of Koscielny and Mertesacker have to be alert and can’t get caught either being overly aggressive or flat footed. As much as Arsenal will depend on their ability to control and dictate play via the midfield, they will depend on their defense to play clean up and shut down the chances the Liverpool side do get.
Arsenal are going to have the added difficulty of doing it without Aaron Ramsey who was rampant in the last tie. Walcott who didn’t feature in the first tie is out but Lukas Podolski who didn’t play is back as is Alex Oxlade Chamberlain. Outside of that, Wenger has everyone else who was available for the first tie back.
It’s a nerve racking fixture for sure and we have every right to worry about this and the forthcoming fixtures but this is why you want to be in the title hunt at this point of the season because every match is important. The last few years this point of the season has been devoid of purpose outside of qualifying for the Champion’s League. Arsenal have a chance to do well better than that as they now have matches of importance because they have a chance for silverware.
We live for this.
Probable Lineups:
Injuries & suspensions:
Arsenal: Walcott (knee) Diaby (knee), Ramsey (thigh) Flamini (suspended – 2)
Liverpool: Agger (calf), Coates (knee), Enrique (knee), Lucas (knee), Johnson (ankle), Sakho (hamstring)
Match Official:
Referee: Michael Oliver (Matches: 16. R2 Y63 PK 2)
Assistants: Burt, Beswick
Fourth Official: Madley
Last Meeting (EPL):
Arsenal 2 – 0 Liverpool
Goals For:
Arsenal (away): 2.1
Liverpool (home): 2.8
Goals Against:
Arsenal (away): 1.2
Liverpool (home) 0.7
Last 5:
Arsenal: WDWWW
Liverpool: DWDWW
Leading Scorer:
Arsenal: Giroud 10
Liverpool: Suarez 23
Assists:
Arsenal: Özil 8
Liverpool: Suarez 7
Broadcast Information:
UK: BT Sports 12.45 GMT
US: NBC Sports Network 7:45 AM EST
YAMA Prediction:
Arsenal 2 – 1 Liverpool
Match Facts (courtesy FourFourTwo)
- Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge have played 11 Barclays Premier League games together this season and the only team to stop them both scoring is Arsenal.
- Santi Cazorla has scored in two of his three Barclays Premier League appearances against Liverpool.
- Liverpool have had win/win results in their last 10 home wins
- Arsenal v Liverpool has seen five hat-tricks scored; the most trebles of any fixture in Premier League history.
- Liverpool have won just one of their last 13 Premier League games against Arsenal (W1 D7 L5) and none of the last six at Anfield (W0 D3 L3).
- Liverpool have scored first in their last four matches against top-six teams
- Arsenal have trailed in five of the last six Premier League games against Liverpool at Anfield and come back to win two and draw three of those five where they fell behind.
- Arsenal have won six and lost none of their last seven Premier League games and netted exactly two goals in each of the last five.
- Arsenal have had both teams scoring in their last five away matches against top-six teams
- The Gunners were the last team to stop Liverpool from scoring in the Premier League (Nov 2nd 2013), with the Reds netting 41 goals in their 14 games since.
- There have been four 90th minute or later goals in the last five Premier League meetings between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield.
- Liverpool have had Over 1.5 1st half goals in their last four matches against top-six teams
- Only Arsenal (6) have conceded fewer goals on home soil than Liverpool (8) this season in the Premier League.
- Wojciech Szczesny has kept more clean sheets than any other goalkeeper in the Premier League this season (11).
- If PL games ended at half-time, Liverpool would be top by one point. However, if PL games only included the second half, Liverpool would be 8th and 19 points off the top.
