Tuesday night and Arsenal had been dumped out of the League cup by Chelsea, despite running strong in the league it has been questioned as to how Arsenal would be able to compete against tougher opposition. Although Arsenal played a unquestionably weaker side it was still a wake up call to some that winning the league is not going to be an easy task. However manager Arsene Wenger was still confident, playing down the league cup as a competition worth being in:“The mood is very strong, very united and very focused. We know where our priorities are - the Premier League and the Champions League. We are in a strong position in the league and that is why we are positive right now.
“It was a disappointment on Tuesday, I cannot deny that, and we want to come back in a very strong way. But this is a big game for us in a completely different competition and we want to respond well.”
Liverpool have also made a great start to the league, their strike partnership of Sturridge and Suarez is quickly becoming one of the greatest partnerships in Europe with both players in top scoring form. Liverpool are looking like a side who can really challenge for the top four and will present Arsenal with their toughest test in the league this season.
In team news, Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta is available for selection again after sitting out his one match suspension, however, Mathieu Flamini, who has become a key component to Arsenal's midfield, is still out with a groin problem. A huge boost for Liverpool is that Coutinho is included again in the squad for the first time since a shoulder injury he obtained playing Swansea back on the 16th September.
There are so many players in this game in top scoring form, however that does not mean there will definitely be goals, I feel these teams could cancel each other out as it is a game that neither side will want to lose as, although the season is never won in one game, it could go a long way in being a confidence boost or drop.
Arsenal will need to put any thoughts on their looming away game to Dortmund to the back of their mind on Saturday to ensure they can put in a performance giving them all possible chances of beating Liverpool. Wenger realises that the game is of "massive importance" for Arsenal as they enter a huge week of games: Liv (H), Dortmund (A) and M. Utd (A). This next week will certainly show us all as to whether Arsenal truly are title contenders or not.
The key to winning this game will come to who can keep the oppositions in form strikers quiet.“One of the targets of our game is to keep these two players quiet because they are certainly among the top strikers in the Premier League,” said Wenger.
“I'm convinced that Sturridge has exceptional talent. He can be creative, make goals for himself, dribble and finish well.”
A win would go a long way for either side to prove just how much of a force they are this season, the Premier league is as competitive as it has been for a long time which is exciting, lets just hope for a good game, although I do feel both teams will cancel each other out too much leading to a boring 0-0 draw, although my predictions are rarely correct...
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