Liverpool face Arsenal in a massive match at the top of the tableplaceholder image
Liverpool face Arsenal in a massive match at the top of the table | Getty Images
Liverpool travel to Arsenal in a blockbuster clash at the top of the Premier League table
After a calamitous run of nine defeats in 12 matches, Arne Slot’s side are showing signs of drastic improvement as they look to extend their unbeaten run of form to 10 matches across all competitions against Premier League pacesetters Arsenal.
The Reds are without the likes of Mohamed Salah (AFCON) and Alexander Isak (injury) heading into the contest while there’s also huge doubts over the match sharpness of Hugo Ekitike after missing the Fulham game with a thigh problem.
The champions are slowly climbing the table after a mini-crisis which threatened to cost Arne Slot his job, but are still trailing the Gunners by 14 points, meaning they’d need to have a near perfect end to the season to have any hope of challenging for the title again this term.
A victory against Arsenal would be a step in the right direction for the Reds, and it’s fair to say that the team can take some confidence from a 1-0 triumph at Anfield on matchday three.
But can the Reds do the double over Arsenal or do the title favourites simply have too much quality? Here we take a look at what pundits Chris Sutton and Paul Merson are thinking in the run-up to this Thursday’s highly-anticipated showdown.
‘They may as well be in a different league’: Chris Sutton
Former Premier League-winning striker Sutton claims Arsenal may as well be playing in a different league to Liverpool at this moment in time.
Sutton explained: “The Gunners should go for it, because they are on a different level to Liverpool, and they may as well be in a different league.
“No-one thinks Slot's side are going to win the Premier League anymore, even though they are fourth, and they don't look capable of flexing their muscles and going on a long winning run, either.
“That is not going to happen. This is a bang-average Liverpool team this season, and Arsenal should be able to exploit all of their weaknesses. It should be pretty comfortable for the league leaders too.
He has backed Arsenal to secure a 2-0 victory over the Reds to boost their ambitions of a first league triumph since 2003/04.
Paul Merson shares hot take ahead of Arsenal vs Liverpool
Former Arsenal midfielder Merson has incredibly claimed that he’d be less surprised if Wolves or Leeds United secured away victories than if Liverpool won at the Emirates.
The Sky Sports pundit says something is just not right at Liverpool at this moment in time, and believes the Gunners are playing Slot’s side at the ideal moment in the season.
He told SportsKeeda: “If you're Arsenal, it's a brilliant time to be playing Liverpool. Should Arsenal win at the Emirates, Liverpool are completely out of the title race! Something is just not right at Liverpool and I can't see them getting a result here.”
Merson claimed that Ekitike has to play in this game if match-fit and expressed concern about Liverpool’s decision to take off Cody Gakpo against Fulham along with Florian Wirtz.
Merson added: “It's weird but I'd be more shocked if Liverpool won at Arsenal than Wolves or Leeds winning their games away from home this gameweek. Arsenal's B team can cause 99 per cent of the sides in this league a problem. That's how good they are as a squad.”
Merson predicted a 3-1 home win for Arsenal to extend their advantage at the summit.
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