Talking Points: Can Arsenal block out the noise this time?
Saturday’s Liverpool-Arsenal humdinger is the first of three games between the sides in the next few weeks. The Gunners host Jurgen Klopp’s side in the Premier League on February 4 and in between, they’ll face off at the Emirates in the third round of the FA Cup.
Whatever of Mikel Arteta’s Champions League aspirations, this group of games will shape the narrative around their domestic ambition – whether the Spaniard like it or not. Arsene Wenger always said Anfield was the away ground he admired and dreaded visiting most.
Arteta hardly distanced himself from the narrative by playing ‘You’ll never walk alone’ at training to prepare his players for the visit to Liverpool. It wasn’t especially kind to him as an Everton player and hasn’t been either as Gunners boss. He riled up Klopp and Xhaka riled up Alexander-Arnold, neither to their advantage, in recent visits.
“This is the next challenge. Go there and win. If you want to be at the top you have to go to those places and be dominant,” he said Friday.
Given they haven’t played at Tottenham or Man City yet and have lost at Newcastle and Aston Villa, this represents a significant and robust test of Arsenal’s title credentials.
Win and the value amounts to much more than three points. Lose, and the other two games against Liverpool will be played against a backdrop of question marks.
Salah and Saka love the sight of open ground
Who’s the full back tossing and turning the most on Friday night? Aleksander Zinchenko at the prospect of facing Mo Salah? Trent Alexander Arnold, who will have Gabriel Martinelli haring down the left flank at him?
Both defenders are better on the front foot, and in Zinchenko’s case, will be relying on his Brazilian colleague to track back too
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