Liverpool v Arsenal preview | Injury blow for Gunners, Ramsey to start + prediction

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Arsenal need to get a positive result when we take on Premier League leaders Liverpool at Anfield this evening.

We’ve seen our positive start to the season derailed in recent weeks as we put-in a shocking display to lose 3-2 at Southampton and were held to an equally frustrating 1-1 draw at Brighton on Boxing Day.

Those results have left us sitting fifth in the table and two points off fourth-placed Chelsea so we need to get something at Liverpool this evening or risk being cut off from the leading pack.

It’s certainly not going to be easy at Anfield as Liverpool are absolutely flying this season and sit six points clear at the top of the table after winning 16 and drawing 3 of their 19 games so far.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have found the winning formula and come in to the match after thrashing Newcastle on Wednesday afternoon so Unai Emery needs to figure out a way to halt the Liverpool juggernaut.

Team News

The pre-match talk has once again focussed on Mesut Ozil as the playmaker hasn’t made the trip to Anfield due to an apparent knee injury. He trained on Friday but reportedly complained of pain in his knee after the session – no doubt after being told he wouldn’t be starting – so we’ll be without the services of our most creative player this evening.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan is also still unavailable due to a foot injury and Danny Welbeck won’t play again this season so we have limited options in attack. Hector Bellerin is expected to miss out once again but Shkodran Mustafi could return after overcoming a hamstring injury while Nacho Monreal will face a late test on his hamstring problem.

As for Liverpool, they’ll be without James Milner, Dominic Solanke, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain but Alberto Moreno is available again.

Preferred line-up

If Mustafi and Monreal are fit I’d start them alongside Sokratis in the back three with Sead Kolasinac and Ainsley Maitland-Niles in the wing-back roles. I’d then go with Aaron Ramsey in the hole behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette.

Liverpool are expected to line-up with: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Keita, Wijnaldum, Salah, Mane, Firmino.

Prediction

Arsenal’s record against Liverpool recently is poor – especially away – as we haven’t won any of our last five trips to Anfield and are seven without victory against the Merseysiders. We’ve also shipped at least two goals in each of those games and Liverpool haven’t lost at home in their last 30 games so this is going to be an extremely difficult task tonight.

Our injury problems obviously don’t help either and even the most optimistic fan would struggle to create a valid argument for an Arsenal win this evening as we’ve been playing poorly in recent weeks. However, Emery has done some of his best work in the big games this season as even during the defeats to Man City and Chelsea we set-up well and were in the games. I actually think we’ll surprise a few people tonight and take home a point. Liverpool 2-2 Arsenal

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