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This is a bit of an unothordox match preview. After all, the Arsenal have already laid waste to West Ham. That said, our eyes turn to Anfield, where Liverpool host Man City in what could be a cataclysmic clash. After all, these two clubs have dominated the Prem, FA Cup, and League Cup for most of the last decade. What’s the old proverb? When elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers. We at the Arsenal have been the grass, but it’s starting to feel like green shoots are sprouting up. With that in mind, we have to ask ourselves, what’s the best result as these two behemoths go into battle?
At first blush, it might make sense to hope for Man City to go into Anfield and seize all three. After all, they’re in a bit of a muddle, having lost five in a row for the first time since before the club was founded a decade or so ago. We’ll not mention Feyenoord or Tottenham out of an abundance of deference. These things can happen to anyone, after all.
That said, we have to know that Man City have frequently floundered in the first half of the season only to launch an Invincibles-level run from January to May. With that as a backdrop, we’d do well to take with several grains of salt their recent malaise. Haaland will eventually re-discover his shooting boots. De Bruyne will eventually overcome his injuries. Rodri will eventually overcome—well, the January transfer window will eventually overcome his blown-out knee. Long story short? It’s far too early to write Guardiola’s minions off. In fact, if anything, we should want to see City go into Anfield and come away with a brave result, by which I mean a draw accompanied by numerous straight red cards issued to both sides. Those stomping their feet for injuries to either side can take a long walk off the nearest, shortest pier.
While a Guardiola resurrection is almost inevitable, whether that be by his own big-brained tactical genius (read: buy more players) or by the January transfer window (read: buy more players), the more-difficult news arises out of Anfield. Apparently, Arne Slot knows what he’s doing…or does he? To date, Liverpool have had one of the easier, cushier starts to their Prem season. Yes, they’ve done well, but it’s easy to do well when the fixtures favour you. Okay, Liverpool have had to go to Old Trafford and the Emirates and have had to host Chelsea…but that still leaves a long list of tricky fixtures ahead.
At this point in the season, when we look at clashes between rivals, we simply have to hope for draws accompanied by a raft of red cards to both sides. Yes, Liverpool are waxing and Man City are (apparently) waning, but it’s far too early to know what to expect. Once we get to, say, April, we’d have a sharper sense of the result we’d prefer for our own particular…idiom.
In an ideal world, we wouldn’t have to pick and choose among the the available results when rivals are concerned. We’d be able to clearly and confidently hand down from above the results that strike our fancy. We’re not quite at that stage…yet. As such, we should find the difference between our emotional priorities and strategic priorities. In other words…
Liverpool 0-0 Man City. Straight red cards to Salah, Van Djik, and Mac Allister and to Haaland, De Bruyne, and Ederson (among others).
in any case, whatever the outcome, we’re not grass nor are we grasses. We’d be grateful for a result that favours us in the long run, Yes, please; and thank you…