Here are 10 things you should know about Arsenal and Liverpool before kick-off this afternoon at the Emirates:
1. A Mikel Arteta penalty and an Olivier Giroud header were enough to see off a re-energized Crystal Palace and secure a 2-0 win last weekend to keep Arsenal’s league momentum on full throttle.
2. Giroud’s goal last weekend was just reward for the work-rate of the big Frenchman who always seems poised to challenge for every ball and works hard to get himself in the right areas. Only a member of the opposing team this weekend, Daniel Sturridge, has had more attempts on goal this season than Giroud, with the Frenchman currently sitting on 27. Giroud is 23/17 to score at any time this afternoon with 888sport.com.
3. For all of Santi Cazorla’s superb attacking qualities, it’s clear that defending does not come naturally to him, a fact which increases the importance of having someone like Mathieu Flamini to shield the back four. So far the Spanish maestro has won just 18.1% of his 22 challenges this term, placing him fifth for tackles lost on the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
4. Mesut Ozil remains, unsurprisingly, one of the most effective users of the ball in the league this season. Arsenal’s record summer signing has completed an excellent 288 passes in the opponent’s half since joining the Gunners, at an average rate of just one every 1.8 minutes which places him second in the league for players to have completed 200 passes or more (1st – David Silva).
5. Any one playing at the top end of the pitch for Arsenal should have their eye on getting on the scoresheet given the huge talent available in this squad. Arsenal have three out of the top five ranked players for assists this season, with Ozil, Aaron Ramsey and Giroud all sitting in joint first position with four assists apiece (other two positions occupied by Sergio Ageuro and Wayne Rooney).
6. A quite superb hat-trick performance from Luis Suarez, combine with an excellent finish from Sturridge, helped Liverpool take apart West Brom 4-1 at Anfield last weekend.
7. Sturridge continued his highly confident run of form against the Baggies last weekend, scoring with a quite sublime second-half chip. He currently ranks second on the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for total shots on target with 15.
8. Unsurprisingly though, Suarez was the most on-form striker in the league in the last round of fixtures, managing to rack up an impressive five shots on target throughout the course of the game against West Brom. Suarez is 16/11 to score at any time with 888sport.com.
9. Reds midfielder Jordan Henderson gained plenty of plaudits after the West Brom game, and rightly so given the calibre of his performance and willingness to do the dirty work for his team. So far the young Englishman has won an excellent 83.9% of his 31 attempted challenges, conceding just nine fouls along the way.
10. Martin Skrtel has battled to regain a starting position at the back for Liverpool and has compiled some impressive statistics on his way to impressing Brendan Rodgers. He ranks second on the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for total blocks with 12 and has so far successfully completed 83.3.% of his 12 attempted challenges.
