LIVERPOOL-ARSENAL PREVIEW

It's  crunch time for table toppers, Arsenal. The first of one of the most hectic fixture schedule of recent time starts on Saturday noon at Anfield where they take on Champions League chasing Liverpool. Arsene Wenger is well aware of how daunting the tasks that face them are. Manchester United (not so difficult nowadays), Bayern Munich and Liverpool (FA CUP) await the gunners in the coming weeks. Victory tomorrow will be the perfect start to what is billed to be the maker or breaker of a wonderful season to date.

                          

SAS gang

Brendan Rodgers knows that Everton and Spurs (who clash over the weekend at White Hart Lane) will be waiting for any slip-up to capitalise on, when Arsenal visit the North West. Not only that, there's also the small matter of revenge for the Merseysiders after Arsenal humbled them 2-0 at the Emirates late last year. The SAS partnership can do no wrong this season and with 37 League goals between them, expect at least one of them to register his name on the score sheet during the game. Their combined goals tally is more than 15 Premier League sides have mustered since the start of the season. Only Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and struggling Manchester United have managed to score more than SUA-STUDGE combined. Of course you can't add the club they belong to. Luis Suarez, the leader of the two man gang, has scored more League goals than anyone in European Football, including the 'gods' Messi, CR7 and Zlatan Ibrahimovic and he has played far less games than all of them. Oppositions have found it almost impossible to shut them out. Perhaps, Kos and Per could try on Saturday.

Arsenal returned to the summit of the Premier League on Sunday when they put Crystal Palace to the sword courtesy of a brace from the returning Alex Ox-Chambo. But it was the all round display of Spanish pocket launcher, Snatiago Cazorla that caught the eye for me. Everyone can sing about Ozil. For me, CAZORLA is the best player Arsenal can call upon any day. The League Leaders know that anything other than a win will open the door for Chelsea or Manchester City to climb up the ladder.

As if it wasn't wide enough already, Jose Mourinho and his unparallelled tactical ingenuity further widened the race for the Title, with victory over City at the Etihad. A feat that has been unachievable for a while now. If Liverpool defeat Arsenal, it will add a new dimension to the already multi-dimensional race for the 13/14 EPL Championship.


PROBABLE LINEUPS-

LIVERPOOL

Mignolet, Flamagan, Skrtel, Toure, Cissokho, Gerrard, Henderson, Coutinho, Suarez, Sterling, Sturridge

ARSENAL

Szczesny, Sagna, Per, Kos, Monreal, Arteta, Ox-Chambo, Wilshere, Cazorla, Ozil, Giroud,


Both teams very much pick themselves in fairness. Rodgers and Wenger don't spring too many surprises, except injury (ies) force their hand. Rodgers  will continue with the TRIPLE S forward line with Coutinho providing creativity from the middle and Henderson partnering the deeper lying Gerrard. Habib made a mistake at the Hawthorns, but will likely partner Skrtel in defence. young Flamagan will continue to deputise for Johnson and the ever present Mignolet will remain between the sticks.

Arsene will continue with Ox-Chmabo after he returned with a bang which means there will be no place for Tomas Rosicky yet again. Mathieu Flamini is suspended, so Arteta will play the holding role. The returning Jack Wilshere will take the place of Podolski who hardly touched the ball last Sunday. Yet again, Olivier Giroud will lead the line. He is a sure starter as he is the only option in attack. Can I hear your rants Bendtner fans?

Arsenal have done very well at Anfield in recent years. Tomorrow will be the toughest test they have faced in years as this Liverpool team is entirely different and more ambitious than the ones they have dominated in the last three or four years. With EL PISTOLERO in form, the balance has shifted a bit.


Ohireime P Eboreime
@ohiskaka1990