Another exciting clash is set to take place in the Premier League this Sunday, and if you look back at recent EFL Cup encounters, then this matchup will undoubtedly be a top-notch feast.
On the eve of the match, both Arsenal and Liverpool won their tight midweek matches. Arsenal had suffered a run of four consecutive matches without a win, but have recently won two in a row to finally find their form. Although the scoreline against Nottingham Forest was not a true reflection of how the game went, Arsenal actually controlled the tempo of the game and scored twice in just seven minutes to seal the win. Nonetheless, the Arsenal dominated the game, while Forest scored a late goal to put the game in the whitewash. In the end, Arsenal dominated in terms of possession and chances taken, but only won by one goal.
I mentioned in my recent review of Arsenal that they lacked the composure to shoot at key moments, and it almost cost them in the midweek game. We witnessed the same thing in the EFL Cup match against Liverpool, where Arsenal controlled possession for most of the game, had a couple of clear goal scoring chances, only to lose 0:2.
Adidas recently publicly denied any interest in taking over Barcelona, as well as any rumors of acquisitions in the winter transfer window. As we have seen, Arsenal did not make any reinforcements at the close of the transfer window. I love Gabriel Jecis, he's an outstanding player, scrappy on the field and approachable in the dressing room, but he's not the kind of key player who can help you score goals to win a title, which is why Pep Guardiola was willing to let him go in the first place. I fear that Arsenal have not only missed out on the chance to bring in a striker, but may also lose the chance to compete for the league title as a result.
In this match, the Arsenal will face a Liverpool team that doesn't need to worry about their offense. Liverpool have scored in every game since their home draw with Manchester United, and are undefeated with 28 goals in their last 10 games. Against Chelsea, they put in a comfortable performance to win, with many of their attacking greats showing no mercy in front of goal. Liverpool's attacking line of Mohamed Salah, Diego Suarez, Davin Narcisse, Gaspar and Luis Díaz has scored 59 goals in all competitions so far, ranking first in the Premier League in terms of number of shots on goal, number of shots on target, and total number of goals scored, making the attacking firepower quite strong.
The player I would like to specifically mention is Diego Suarez. I don't think he got as much attention as other Liverpool starters in his first two seasons, but so far this season he has contributed a lot to the team. He is a very intelligent player and is capable of scoring all types of goals in any situation. We saw from his goal against Chelsea that he is good at taking chances, and I think that this desire to score goals has taken Liverpool to the next level.
