Premier League: Slot’s Bandwagon Heads to the Emirates

Arsenal vs Liverpool

League leaders Liverpool travel to North London on Sunday to take on Arsenal in the Premier League match of the weekend.  

This third versus first clash is a real six-pointer, as Mikel Arteta’s Gunners can climb to within a point of their visitors with a win, while Arne Slot’s Liverpool can put a real dent in Arsenal’s title hopes if they can take all three points.

The northern Reds have been hugely impressive under their new manager, while Arsenal, always easy on the eye and with a new steely character are serious title contenders, but Arteta has some injury concerns ahead of this vital clash.   

Fans of both Arsenal and Liverpool will be following the Premier League 2024 updates on Saturday very closely, as Manchester City host Southampton, and the widely expected home win would take the Sky Blues to the top of the table. 

And then the Emirates is where the eyes of the football world will be, on Sunday afternoon 4:30pm UK time.   

 

Talking Points

Injury worries mounting for Arsenal

The Gunners were briefly title favourites a few weeks ago, but the Premier League 2024 betting odds have been steadily drifting away from the Emirates, and Pep Guardiola’s Sky Blues are the clear favourites again in a three-horse race.

One of the reasons City and Liverpool are starting to look more likely is the injury list at the Emirates, which seems to be getting worse.  

The Gunners’ most productive attacking player, Bukayo Saka, is doubtful, and he is always a huge miss whenever he’s unavailable. The England man has made more assists than any other player so far, his seven outstripping the five made by Chelsea’s prolific star Cole Palmer and Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah.

Saka picked up a hamstring niggle during England’s shock defeat to Greece, and he is in the balance for an appearance on Sunday. He has already missed the Gunners’ defeat to Bournemouth last week and the narrow win over Shakhtar Donetsk in midweek, and Arteta fears he won’t be ready in time for the visit of Liverpool. 

At the other end of the pitch, the Gunners’ defence, without William Saliba, who was sent off last week during the loss to Bournemouth, is a lot weaker than the unit which was so impressive in the early games this season.

Riccardo Calafiori also limped off the field during Tuesday’s win over Shakhtar after twisting his knee, and he is doubtful too. With Jurrien Timber out and Takehiro Tomiyasu suffering a long-term injury, the Arsenal backline is looking a little threadbare.

Let’s not forget that inspirational skipper Martin Odegaard has not played since he damaged ankle ligaments playing for Norway in September, and these are worrying times for Arteta.

 

Slot’s incredible start

When Jurgen Klopp announced his departure from Liverpool last season, there were many tears shed on Merseyside, well the red half anyway, and nobody could have expected the new man Slot to turn in the set of results he has so far, 11 wins from 12 games across all competitions.

This superb run of form has left them top of the Premier League and joint top of the Champions League, with only Nottingham Forest interrupting their rampage with a shock 1-0 win at Anfield.

Since then, Slot’s stars have won eight on the bounce, and the ex-Feyenoord boss is understandably delighted, saying: “I said before that we should be proud because so many great teams have worn the shirt, so many great players have been at this club.”       

Liverpool have been relentless throughout the first 10 weeks of the new season, and they have shown that they can scrap out results as well as blowing teams away.

Darwin Nunez scored the only goal of the game in the Champions League win over RB Leipzig and, in the Reds clash with Chelsea last week, Liverpool needed to dig deep as the Blues dominated possession and the shot count but lost the game 2-1.

And of course, Liverpool have two of the most lethal strikers in the league in Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz, who have five goals each to add to the Egyptians’ five assists.  

 

History

With 29 wins to 23, the Merseysiders have a handy lead in the head-to-heads. And last season, the matches between these two were highly competitive.

Arsenal earned a 1-1 draw at Anfield in December before winning their home league game 3-1 in February. But a month earlier, Liverpool had dumped the Gunners out of the FA Cup with a 2-0 third round win in London. 

They also met in a preseason friendly which Slot’s men won 2-1.

Both teams are in scintillating form, with Liverpool winning the last eight, while Arsenal have five wins and one defeat from the last six.

The Gunners are unbeaten in 12 matches at home and have won three and drawn one at the Emirates this season, while Liverpool have won all four of their league matches on the road.

 

Betting Tip

With Arsenal priced by SBOTOP at 2.29 and Liverpool at 2.66, this mega-clash really is in the balance.

While I suspect it will be hard for Liverpool to maintain their 100-per cent away record, Arsenal’s injury concerns will open the door. Whether the league leaders can take all three points I’m not entirely sure, but I doubt they will leave London empty handed.

   

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