The marquee match of this round will witness Arsenal hosting Liverpool, as both teams are coming off narrow 1-0 victories in their midweek European fixtures. This rivalry has been particularly intense in recent seasons due to its implications on the title race. The current encounter is no exception, as Arsenal aims to narrow the four-point gap that Liverpool, currently sitting atop the Premier League table, holds over them.
The aforementioned gap can primarily be attributed to Arsenal’s surprising 2-0 loss to Bournemouth in their previous league match. This defeat put an end to their impressive 16-game unbeaten run (13 wins, 3 draws) across all competitions. Adding insult to injury, the Gunners suffered a setback with the red card and subsequent suspension of key defender William Saliba, who had played every minute of Arsenal’s Premier League campaign since last season.
The timing of Saliba’s absence couldn’t have been worse, considering Arsenal’s inability to keep a clean sheet against Liverpool in their last 17 Premier League encounters. However, this hasn’t deterred manager Mikel Arteta from orchestrating victories in the last two Premier League meetings between the two sides at the Emirates Stadium.
If Liverpool manages to turn the tide and secure a victory, they will reach 24 points and achieve their second-best start to a Premier League season after nine matches.
This accomplishment is well-deserved by the Reds, considering their impressive performance so far. They shouldn’t be intimidated by playing away from home, especially after their 1-0 triumph over RB Leipzig earlier in the week. This win marked the first time in the club’s history that they have won their first six competitive away games of a season. Arne Slot, the manager, also made history by becoming the first top-flight manager of an English club to win 11 out of his first 12 games in all competitions (with one loss).
Two players to keep an eye on are Kai Havertz, who aims to score in his sixth consecutive Premier League game at the Emirates for Arsenal, a feat previously achieved only by the legendary Thierry Henry. Liverpool’s Darwin Núñez, who scored during the midweek match, will be eager to avenge his only Premier League defeat when he scored. In that match, Liverpool lost 3-2 to Arsenal two seasons ago.
An interesting statistic is that in seven of the last 11 Premier League head-to-head matches between these two teams, both teams have scored before halftime.
