Former Liverpool player Jermaine Pennant in Celebrity Big Brother.
Photo by Mike Marsland/Mike Marsland/WireImage
Liverpool face another big test on Sunday as they welcome Premier League champions Arsenal to Anfield.
The Reds sit six points behind the Gunners going into the game, and the chance to narrow that gap to only three points comes with Andoni Iraola’s team in brilliant form.
Beating Chelsea on penalties in midweek means Liverpool have now won five matches in a row, and, according to former Reds winger Jermaine Pennant, the confidence the team should take from making such positive steps – along with some injury and squad issues for their opponents – makes them favourites to beat Arsenal.
What were your thoughts on some Liverpool fans booing Jordan Henderson? Is that the way to treat a club legend? 🤔
Lol and how's his career gone since... Tits up me thinks
@auntylizard1 Yep, threw his toys out of the pram when Jurgen told him he wouldn't be starting regularly anymore. Could've got his head down and worked and he might still be at the club today
He left us in a time when we needed him to stay! He didn't give the club a second thought just his bank balance so why should supporters welcome him when he comes and plays for the opposition.
Arsenal injuries hand the advantage to Liverpool
Whereas Liverpool secured a morale-boosting win over Chelsea on Wednesday, Arsenal had surprisingly been knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Fleetwood the day before.
Mikel Arteta’s team have had a few bumps in the road already this season, and with their record at Anfield being as poor as it is, Pennant says he expects Liverpool to administer another one on Sunday.
“I’m as confident as I’ve ever been in this fixture going into Sunday’s game,” the pundit told TalkSPORT.
“Partially because of the injuries they’ve got and the players they’ve let go and not really replaced, Trossard and Martinelli, they were big, big key players for them. And the fact that they haven’t beaten Liverpool at Anfield in the last four games. It’s one win for Liverpool and three draws.”
“On all of those bases and the way we’re playing right now, confidence is oozing. I am confident, more than I was last season, the season before and the season before that. So, I’m looking forward to this game and hopefully they don’t let me down now!”
Arsenal have actually failed to beat Liverpool in each of their last 13 Premier League visits to Anfield, and with the Reds beginning to build up a head of steam, there is a good chance that becomes 14 this weekend.
Sunday 1st November Premier League
Which Arsenal players are injured?
Though Liverpool should be confident of beating Arsenal by virtue of their own good form right now, it is true that the Gunners are missing a couple of big players to potentially help them along the way.
Bukayo Saka and William Saliba are certain to miss the match at Anfield, robbing Arteta of two of his most important players in attack and defence.
Noni Madueke and Christos Tzolis are also injured, while Max Dowman’s midweek sending off has depleted Arsenal’s attack even further. Riccardo Calafiori is a doubt as well having come off during last weekend’s win over Everton.
Meanwhile, Liverpool do still have some injury issues of their own, with Dominik Szoboszlai unlikely to be fit in time to play. Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni and Hugo Ekitike remain long-term absentees, while Victor Munoz and Jeremie Frimpong look set to miss out as well.