- Liverpool have only won once in their last 13 PL games against Arsenal
- Arsenal have tallied 26 points away from home, the joint-best in the PL
- This fixture has produced more hat tricks (5) than any other rivalry in PL history
On Saturday at Anfield Liverpool host Arsenal (watch live at 7:45am ET on USA and online via NBC Sports Live Extra) with the home side looking to close the gap on the league leaders.
Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool side have only lost at home once this season and welcome the Gunners to a true fortress. But the away team are looking for a third-straight win at Anfield as Arsene Wenger’s men are in fine-form heading into this massive match.
Arsenal have 11 clean sheets this campaign and have let in just 21 goals, the second best record in the PL. But the central defensive pairing of Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny have a tough task to keep Liverpool’s star duo of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge, known as S.A.S., quiet on Saturday. The Gunners managed to do that in the corresponding fixture back in November, when Arsenal won 2-0 at the Emirates against a below-par Liverpool.
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All season Liverpool have failed to win a point against the three teams above them, and if they are serious about finishing in the top four, Rodgers’ side need to deliver against Arsenal on Saturday. The Reds also welcome Chelsea and Manchester City to Anfield in April, so they will have a big say in the title race even if Suarez and co. aren’t lifting the trophy in May.
In team news Liverpool are again missing defenders Daniel Agger and Glen Johnson, while Lucas Leiva, Mamadou Sakho and Jose Enrique are also ruled out.
Arsenal will assess Jack Wilshere before the game, while Mathieu Flamini serves the second game of his four-match ban and Mikel Arteta returns to fitness.
What they’re saying
Brendan Rodgers on the importance of Liverpool’s home support: “It makes a difference. It is genuinely like an extra man for us. That real passion of the supporters, it really has pushed us over the line a lot of times this season. Hopefully we’ve entertained the supporters, particularly at home, but in those so-called big games - the likes of Manchester United and Everton - those supporters have helped us. Hopefully that will be the case on Saturday, I’m sure it will because the support has been absolutely fantastic.”
Arsene Wenger on the threat of Luis Suarez: “The key is for us to dominate the game and leave them as few balls as possible. That will be one of our targets of course. At Liverpool the task might be a bit more difficult but the philosophy on our side has to be the same - to master the ball and to have the ball and to dominate the game. Liverpool have a strong offensive force with Sturridge, with Suarez, with Coutinho, with Sterling behind. All these players can score goals and make a difference. So what you want on our side is a strong defensive performance.”
Prediction
This is so hard to call. Having seen the power of the Anfield crowd in Liverpool’s dominant derby win over Everton last week, this could play a big factor. But Arsenal have been masters of grinding our results all season, especially on the road. And with Oxlade-Chamberlain returning to full-fitness and looking razor sharp, I think Arsenal could nick it. That said, I am going to sit on the fence and go for an entertaining draw. There will be a few goals in this one.
