Arsenal Must Extend Their Lead Whilst They Can

Match Preview: Liverpool vs. Arsenal - Premier League - 13.01.2016

Arsenal travel to Anfield on Wednesday evening to face an injury stricken Liverpool side. The Klopp effect seems to have slightly worn off with Liverpool struggling for consistency in recent weeks. Much of this can be put down to a punishing schedule colliding with a change in system and half the squad out with injuries. Liverpool's inconsistency is both blessing and curse for Arsenal.

With Man City hosting Everton and Leicester travelling to White Hart Lane there is potential for Arsenal to increase their lead at the top of the table. Everton are more than capable of taking the game to City and Leicester will have to face a mean Spurs defence without Vardy leading the line.

Arsenal's momentum and greater quality should see them comfortably back onto the team coach to London with 3 points. Overcoming a depleted Liverpool side suffering from inconsistency and fixture overload - if they win the FA Cup replay against Exeter they could play 9 games in January alone - should be straightforward enough for a title chasing team. However, Liverpool's woes makes it difficult to predict what sort of team or system Jurgen Klopp will play and you can never completely ignore home advantage. Arsenal will have to ensure they don't do what they always seem to do and trip themselves up with complacency and overconfidence.

The Gunners managed to come from behind against Sunderland in the FA Cup without Özil and have been performing to a high standard sans big guns like Alexis, Cazorla and Coquelin winning 7 of their last 10 matches with a solitary blip against Southampton on Boxing Day. That said, Arsenal haven't won away in the league since October except to Aston Villa. They'll need to correct this tomorrow night and rack up points on their chasing rivals whilst they can.

Last 3 Meetings

• Arsenal 4-1 Liverpool (04.04.2015)
• Liverpool 2-2 Arsenal (21.12.2014)
• Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool (16.02.2014)

Factfile

• Only Manchester United (21) have more EPL wins against Arsenal than Liverpool (16).
• Liverpool v Arsenal has seen more hat-tricks than any other fixture in EPL history (5).
• The last nine league meetings between these clubs at Anfield have seen 35 goals scored (3.9 per match on average).
• Liverpool have only beaten Arsenal once in their last 9 fixtures
• Mesut Ozil has either scored or assisted 16 of Arsenal's last 24 league goals (three goals, 13 assists).
• Liverpool have scored 22 goals in their 20 league fixtures so far this season; the lowest tally after 20 matches of any league campaign.
• Arsenal have scored the first goal of the match on 14 occasions in the league this season; more often than any other team.

Injuries

Tomorrow will be too soon for Alexis who could face Stoke at the weekend. Rosicky is nearing full fitness and Arteta is back in the matchday squad. Welbeck, Wilshere, Coquelin and Cazorla all remain sidelined.

Possible Starting XI

Cech; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Flamini, Ramsey, Walcott, Ozil, Campbell; Giroud

Goonersphere's Prediction

1-3 to Arsenal. If the Gunners remain focused they should win this one comfortably.

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