Liverpool look to halt Arsenal's progress

Liverpool strikers Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge have been in superb form so far this season

Liverpool are off down South on Saturday evening as they prepare to face rivals Arsenal. The Reds have had a far better start to the season than anyone expected and I think it’s fair to say so too have Arsene Wenger’s side. Arsenal are currently top of the pile on 22 points with both Chelsea and ourselves tightly behind them on 20 points. A win for Liverpool on Saturday night could put them in a position where they are top of the league and also in control.

Injuries for Liverpool mean they are still without Iago Aspas and Sebastian Coates. The positive for Brendan Rodgers though is that he should be able to call upon both Jose Enrique (late fitness test) and Philippe Coutinho. A prospect that many fans are excited by.

For Arsenal they have some big names missing in Flamini, Podolski and Walcott. Reports suggest those three won’t make the fitness grade in time for kick off and also unavailable for Arsenal are Diaby and Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The last time the two sides met was in January when the game ended 2-2, I remember it well as I won about £30 on the scoreline! This time out though we want a win not the cash! Luis Suarez and Jordan Henderson were on the score sheet at the Emirates that day.

We have to go back to the begging of the 11/12 season to find a win for Liverpool in this tie though. An own goal from Ramsey aided the Reds on their way and a last minute winner from Luis Suarez sealed all three points.

Liverpool don’t have an amazing record at the Emirates but it isn’t that terrible either. One thing to note is that a draw here is often a popular result and the Reds in five out of their last eight trips to the Emirates have come away with a score draw.

Stat Sandwich

• Luis Suarez has scored six times in his last four games for Liverpool.
• Arsenal are unbeaten in eight matches in the league.
• Daniel Sturridge is currently the league’s top goalscorer having found the back of the net eight times.

This is one of those games that you can’t hide your excitement for, a match against Arsenal is always pretty big and important but it hasn’t felt this important in a very long time. Games between the two sides always involve goals and excitement and I think on Saturday it will be no different.

Liverpool have created a simply awesome partnership in Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez but Arsenal have an attack that is hard to deal with all of their own. Their signing of Ozil late in the window has brought more strength and belief to the side than they could have hoped for and despite Liverpool’s good start I think the Reds will have their work cut out at the Emirates this weekend.

I would like to predict that Liverpool will collect all three points I really would but unfortunately I just can’t see it, I do however see us collecting another draw in London and I also think both teams will score. Both sides will have strength and confidence in attack and I think it will boil down to the ability of the defence to deal with counter attacks and set pieces which is an aspect that worries me about Liverpool at the moment. I can see Suarez or Sturridge getting the game underway but then I can also see us conceding a silly goal failing to deal with a corner again.

Taking all of this into account I expect a lively game on Saturday and I also expect goals, I’d love us to some how gather a win but my prediction for this one is 2-2.