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Arsenal icon Dennis Bergkamp has named Liverpool the club most likely to be the biggest threat to the Gunners' Premier League title aspirations this season.
Mikel Arteta and Co. will be aiming to win the league this season after falling just short to Manchester City during the 2022-23 campaign. They are currently at the top of the league table with 39 points from 17 games, one point above Liverpool and five above the Cityzens.
Arsenal will have a big opportunity to prove their title credentials in their upcoming Premier League clash against Liverpool. They face the Reds at Anfield on Saturday, December 23 - a venue where they haven't tasted victory since 2012.
Jurgen Klopp's men were held to a 0-0 draw by Manchester United at home on Sunday (December 17). However, they responded admirably just days later with a dominant 5-1 win against West Ham United in the EFL Cup quarter-finals.
Bergkamp reckons Liverpool currently pose a bigger threat than Manchester City to Arsenal because of their squad depth. He said (via METRO):
"I think Liverpool. I’ve got a funny feeling I saw that game against United and they showed the bench and they showed the two players who were coming on and I was like, ‘Oh wait, they’ve got him and him and him.
"They were all injured and if they come back at the right time they might be the biggest contenders to win. It’s about managing the team through this period and then get the advantage of it later on."
He also reserved praise for Mikel Arteta's side:
"I think everything is there for them to do well. They’re getting back to playing good football again, being dominant and everything. You need a little bit of help from the other teams, that’s working out well at the moment and I learned this from the English players when I played, that once you go past this period then it all starts."
He continued:
"Then you have an eye on the the trophies you’ve got the European games that get more tense. You have to dig into your squad. They’re in contention now, more than that, and they might win it."
Liverpool possess great attacking depth in Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, and Cody Gakpo. While the likes of Diogo Jota, Alexis Mac Allister, Thiago Alcantara, and Stefan Bajcetic have been ruled out of the upcoming clash with injury, the Reds are likely to become even stronger upon their return.
Mikel Arteta hopes to have 3 Arsenal stars back ahead of Liverpool clash: Reports
According to the Evening Standard (via METRO), Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is hoping to have Takehiro Tomiyasu, Thomas Partey and Mohamed Eleneny back from injury for the Liverpool clash in the FA Cup. The two sides will face each other again in the FA Cup third round at the Emirates on January 7.
Partey has been plagued with injuries this season, limiting him to just five appearances across all competitions. The 30-year-old initially missed six games with a groin injury, and has been sidelined since October with a hamstring injury.
Meanwhile, Tomiyasu has impressed for Arsenal, scoring one goal and providing three assists in 19 appearances in total this season. Unfortunately, the Japan international suffered a calf injury at the start of the month and faces a race against time to get back to full fitness for the FA Cup clash.
Elneny made his first start of the season for Arsenal against PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League last week. However, he injured his hamstring, resulting in his substitution. All three stars are reportedly recovering well and could be in line for a quick return.
