The third round in the Premier League will end on Monday evening with a top match at Anfield: Liverpool will then have Arsenal visit their own stadium. Both teams have six points after two games and would also like to win the third league game.
Liverpool:
Liverpool and Arsenal will not meet for the first time this season on Monday evening. A month ago, both teams also faced each other in the battle for the Community Shield. At Wembley, that game ended in a 1-1 draw and Liverpool eventually pulled the short straw after penalties. However, the Liverpool of today is a lot further than the Liverpool of four weeks ago, because in that game the starting team of Jürgen Klopp played together again for the first time in weeks. Meanwhile, that basic team has already had some other matches.
At Liverpool, they started the Premier League season with a 4-3 victory over PhD candidate Leeds United. Last weekend, The Reds also managed to grab three points on a visit to Chelsea: 0-2 win. Sadio Mane scored both goals at Stamford Bridge after the break. The Senegalese, like many other basic players, was not present on Thursday evening when Liverpool had to visit Lincoln City in the tournament for the Carabao Cup. The League One club was easily put aside 2-7 by a mix of Liverpool base and reserve players. Liverpool’s next game in the Carabao Cup is scheduled for next Thursday and by chance Arsenal are once again the opponent at Anfield. Jordan Henderson was injured in Liverpool’s previous league game and the captain has to miss out on both duels with Arsenal. Joel Matip and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are also not returning to Liverpool for the time being.
Arsenal:
A month ago, Arsenal managed to win the Community Shield at the expense of Liverpool. In that game, The Gunners took a 1-0 lead early on by a goal from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and then Arsenal often succeeds in making it difficult for a top club. If Arsenal falls behind, it is a different story, often the team of Mikel Arteta does not have an answer. The North Londoners are at their best under Arteta if they can play a bit defensive and that will be the case again against Liverpool on Monday evening.
It is clear that this Arsenal cannot yet compete with the absolute Premier League top. The North Londoners did manage to win 2-1 against West Ham United, but based on the game image, that victory was unjustified. The talent Eddie Nketiah made against West Ham only five minutes before the final whistle the 2-1 and The Gunners were lucky enough not to complain. Arsenal qualified for the eighth finals of the Carabao Cup this week by beating Leicester City 0-2. Both teams did not play with their strongest team and Arsenal won through an own goal from Leicester and a late goal from Nketiah. In that next round, Liverpool will be the opponent of Arsenal, which has not managed to win any of the last eight matches at Anfield. This week, Arsenal will have two chances to end that series.
PREDICTION: Liverpool to win @ 1,52
