Arsenal’s clean season begin has hit uneven waters, and Mikel Arteta’s squad is aware of it might probably’t afford a slip-up at residence in opposition to Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday.
A loss to Bournemouth final weekend marked Arsenal’s first defeat since April, costing them not solely three factors but additionally key defender William Saliba, who will miss the Liverpool match after receiving a pink card.
Arsenal rebounded with a hard-fought 1-0 Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday, however suffered one other setback as defender Riccardo Calafiori exited injured simply 20 minutes from time.
The Italian could also be absent together with the suspended Saliba and injured trio Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber when Liverpool, who’ve thrived within the post-Jurgen Klopp period, visits.
Liverpool’s 1-0 victory in opposition to RB Leipzig on Wednesday means new supervisor Arne Slot has gained 11 of his first 12 video games in cost, together with all six away from residence – each membership data.
A defeat would go away Arsenal seven factors behind Slot’s facet and probably six behind Manchester City, who host second-bottom Southampton on Saturday.
While Arteta doubtless gained’t hit the panic button, permitting two title rivals such an early lead would go away Arsenal with little margin for error within the months forward.
Following Arsenal’s scrappy win over Donetsk, Arteta promised his crew could be “flying” on Sunday after 4 days’ preparation, however Liverpool, regardless of having one much less day to recuperate after their journey to Germany, will arrive brimming with confidence.
“Arteta has done an amazing job in the last few years, and we have to be on top of our game to get a result,” Slot stated.
Best begin
The Dutchman is having fun with the perfect begin by any Liverpool supervisor, credited to minimal adjustments to Klopp’s system, although there’s a extra pragmatic strategy seen in final weekend’s gritty 2-1 win over Chelsea.
That match was thought-about Slot’s greatest check up to now, and he handed with flying colours. A victory at Arsenal on Saturday could be one other large outcome.
Champions Manchester City will doubtless be prime by then, as something apart from a win in opposition to a struggling Southampton facet could be a serious upset.
Fourth-placed Aston Villa made it three wins from three within the Champions League on Tuesday and might be using excessive as they put together to host Bournemouth on Saturday, the place a win would carry them to twenty factors, only one behind Liverpool.
“We have to keep the level increasing,” supervisor Unai Emery stated after Tuesday’s 2-0 residence win in opposition to Bologna.
Besides Arsenal’s heavyweight conflict with Liverpool, three different video games will happen within the capital on Sunday, essentially the most intriguing of which is West Ham United dealing with Manchester United.
Hammers supervisor Julen Lopetegui has endured a tricky begin, and a 4-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur final weekend didn’t sit properly with followers.
That defeat left West Ham in fifteenth, three factors behind Manchester United, whose 2-1 victory over Brentford final weekend gave embattled supervisor Erik ten Hag some respiratory room.
However, Dutchman Ten Hag wants greater than sporadic wins to flee the cycle of disaster that appears to comply with him at Old Trafford.
The weekend schedule kicks off on Friday with the East Midlands derby, as Leicester supervisor Steve Cooper welcomes his resurgent former membership Nottingham Forest, who would transfer into fifth place, no less than briefly, with a win.
Source: www.dailysabah.com