CHRIS SUTTON HAS GONE FOR A COMFORTABLE HOME WIN 2:0
Liverpool badly missed Hugo Ekitike in their draw against
Fulham, and put in another lacklustre display.
Arne Slot's side are nine games unbeaten now, so their recent results have been all right on paper.
It's their performances that are the problem, though. When you see them with your own eyes, they are miles off where they were when they won the title last season, and are nowhere near where
Arsenal are at now either.
When
Liverpool beat them at Anfield in August, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta was criticised for being too cautious, as he often is in big games like this.
It has to be different this time. This
Liverpool team have been leaking goals all season, so Gunners fans are not going to accept Arteta sitting back.
I doubt Arteta will do it this time, because
Arsenal are at home and
Liverpool are there for the taking.
In fact, there should be zero negativity in the way they are set up.
Manchester City have dropped points twice in the past few days, so
Arsenal are six points clear. It's just over six years since Arteta took charge, and this is not the time for him to be cautious.
The Gunners should go for it, because they are on a different level to
Liverpool, and they may as well be in a different league.
No-one thinks Slot's side are going to win the Premier League anymore, even though they are fourth, and they don't look capable of flexing their muscles and going on a long winning run, either.
That is not going to happen. This is a bang-average
Liverpool team this season, and
Arsenal should be able to exploit all of their weaknesses.
It should be pretty comfortable for the league leaders too.
They are carrying Viktor Gyokeres a bit, because he has just not fired for them up front, but it does not seem to matter, they are winning anyway.
Declan Rice is just majestic in the middle of the park, he is just phenomenal, and they have got lots of different ways of scoring goals.
Sutton's prediction: 2-0
Tony's prediction: A win here and
Arsenal have the title destiny in their own hands. With their first-choice defence back, I can't see
Liverpool getting past Gabriel and William Saliba, so I expect a comfortable night in north London for the champions in waiting.
Gabriel to rise above Virgil van Dijk in the box and grab the first goal. 2-0
AI's prediction: 2-2
JONES KNOWS BEST HAS GONE FOR A NARROW HOME WIN 1:0
Arsenal vs Liverpool, Thursday 8pm, live on Sky Sports
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According to the Premier League title-winning odds, it's never been more likely this season than now that Arsenal will land the outright prize. After Chelsea's late salvo at Manchester City, the 1/4 on offer with Sky Bet on Arsenal for the title is the shortest price they've been all season. Only Arsenal can stop Arsenal now.
For this game the under 2.5 goals line is worth a look at 11/10 with Sky Bet. Mikel Arteta and Arne Slot are cut from a similar cloth. Territory matters. Risk management matters. Neither wants a basketball match
When two managers are this obsessed with control, the game often eats itself. In big games between elite managers of this nature, it often promises drama and delivers tension instead. One goal either way could be enough.
SCORE PREDICTION: 1-0
Another London club on Thursday night, we have only won against Tottenham and West Ham in London this season .This one is a tough
