Game K.O. 11:30 ET Canada-USA
Venue: Emirates Stadium
After a long, long time, Arsenal are once more considered favorites to beat Liverpool, but that assessment is obviously based on the form we’ve seen from the two teams this term.
Liverpool could, of course, get their act together and start looking like the team that finished second, won both cups and reached the Champions League final last season again, and it that case, the Gunners better be ready for a storm.
Arsenal
It has been a tough battle for the Gunners to return to where they believe they belong – in the top bracket in the Premier League, and it seems sticking with Mikel Arteta at the helm of the team and Edu managing their transfer activities has started producing notable results. Erling Haaland is the player everyone talks about these days and for good reason too, but it’s not his Manchester City topping the table – it’s Arsenal.
Going into the round, the Gunners lead the way with 21 points, one point ahead of City, but the defending champions are odds-on to overtake them by beating Southampton on Saturday. A win in this clash would obviously reinstate Arteta’s team at the top. Arsenal’s arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur are third on 17. Meanwhile, Arsenal lead the way in their Europa League group as well, where they and PSV Eindhoven in second even have a game in hand on Bodo/Glimt and Zurich below.
The only match the Gunners failed to win so far in either competition was the 3-1 loss away to Manchester United, and the remaining five of their last six games were wins 2-1 at home over Aston Villa, 1-2 away to Zurich, 0-3 away to Brentford, 3-1 home win in the North London Derby over Spurs, and a 3-0 one home triumph over Bodo/Glimt.
Liverpool
It may have been a dream start for Arsenal this season, but that’s certainly not the case for Liverpool, who have so far won only twice in the league despite having played seven matches. With a game in hand on most of the league, the Merseysiders are currently ninth with just 10 points, and if they are to salvage anything from the campaign, they cannot afford to leave the Emirates with anything less than three points in their bag. That, however, won’t be so easy this time.
The Reds seem to be doing well in the Champions League at the moment, following a severe mauling at the hands of Napoli in the opening match, and they currently trail the Serie A leaders, sitting above Ajax and Rangers.
It should be said that numerous injuries, mostly in the midfield section, have been hampering the Merseysiders’ efforts since the start, but also that most of the absent players are approaching the moments of return to action. Nonetheless, the fact that most of the players fit and named to start in games haven’t been performing anywhere near their usual levels cannot be disguised or excused.
Liverpool’s last-six run consists of a 2-1 home win over Newcastle, a goalless draw in the Merseyside Derby away to Everton, a 4-1 defeat away to Napoli, a 2-1 home win over Ajax, a disappointing 3-3 draw at home against Brighton and Hove Albion, and a 2-0 home win over Rangers this week.
LIVE: Arsenal vs Liverpool | Premier League
Game K.O. 11:30 ET Canada-USA
