Gunners vs. Reds: A Premier Showdown at the Emirates
The English Premier League doesn’t get much better than this. Liverpool against Arsenal is always a major matchup in the league, but it’s especially true this season, as both clubs are contenders for the title. The teams are neck and neck at the moment, and this game may well prove important down the line for which side wins it all.
Match Details
This epic showdown will take place on Sunday, February 4th, at 16:30. The match is going to be held at Arsenal’s home ground, Emirates Stadium, which has a giant capacity of 60,704.
Team News
One interesting piece of news for Liverpool is that long-time manager Jürgen Klopp will depart the team at the end of the season. Meanwhile, Liverpool has a few injury concerns to deal with, namely Joel Matip, Stefan Bajcetic Maquieira, Thiago Alcantara, Mohamed Salah, and Konstantinos Tsimikas. Losing star scorer Salah is already tough, as he missed most of January due to playing in the African Cup of Nations. Wataru Endo is also out because of playing in the AFC Asian Cup.
Arsenal has a fairly healthy squad without major absences. There are injuries to Jurrien Timber, Thomas Partey, and Fabio Ferreira Vieira, while Mohamed Elneny (African Cup of Nations) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (AFC Asian Cup) will also miss the game.
Recent Form
Liverpool is currently leading the EPL and is having one of the best seasons in recent history. The club had 48 points and has three wins and two draws in their last five matches. Although they’ve had a 5-2 victory in the F.A. Cup and a 1-1 draw in the Carabao Cup, Liverpool’s most recent Premier League game was a 4-0 win over Bournemouth.
Arsenal is very close behind Liverpool on the ladder with 46 points and can certainly overtake their rivals before the end of the season. The squad has two wins, two losses, and one draw in their last five matches. Arsenal’s most recent result was a 2-1 triumph against Nottingham Forest.
Head-to-Head
Historically, these two teams play very evenly and the matchup is going to be fiery and intense once again. If we include all football formats (Premier League and F.A. Cup), then Liverpool has two wins, Arsenal one victory, and there have been two draws between the teams.
Key Players to Watch
Every Arsenal fan will be keeping an eye on Bukayo Saka, who has been playing great lately, with 7 total goals and 6 assists in 21 matches. He’ll be the one that Liverpool is most concerned about, although Eddie Nketiah, with 5 goals, should also be taken seriously.
Liverpool will be eager to have Salah back on the pitch, as he’s one of the team’s most prolific goalscorers with 14 this season. However, Liverpool is doing well enough and already has had great games from Darwin Núñez (7 goals and 6 assists) and Diogo Jota (6 goals). Klopp shouldn’t have to worry about Salah, as there’s major talent on this Liverpool team.
Tactical Overview
Arsenal is fantastic at attacking set pieces, but also defending in their own half. They’ll use their wings a lot to attack the goal and also use long-shot opportunities. Still, they could use work against avoiding offside and be a bit more aggressive in crucial moments.
Predictions
It appears as if Arsenal is actually the favourite in this matchup, despite the two teams being incredibly close on the EPL ladder. The chances are close, but Bet365 says Arsenal has 21/20 odds to win, Liverpool has 23/10 odds to win, and a draw is set at 11/4. Liverpool’s Diego Jota is still the most likely Anytime Goalscorer bet at 12/5, even if Arsenal is the preferred choice by the bookies. Right now, Arsenal has 46% to win, Liverpool at 29% to win, and a draw at 25%.
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