Arsenal make decision about giving guard of honour to Liverpool ahead of PL clash at Anfield: Reports

Arsenal have reportedly decided to give Liverpool a guard of honour when they face each other at Anfield on Sunday, May 11. The Gunners saw their title challenge end in a whimper, with the Reds securing the Premier League following their 5-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur at the end of April.

The north London side, meanwhile, are second in the league table after 35 games this season. With Manchester City, Newcastle United, and Chelsea breathing down their neck, Arsenal have very little room for error at the moment.

The Gunners are preparing for the UEFA Champions League semifinal second leg against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday, May 7. Mikel Arteta's team are trailing 1-0 in the tie from the first leg at the Emirates last week.

Chelsea gave Liverpool a guard of honour last weekend before defeating them 3-1. As per the Daily Mail, Arsenal have now decided to extend the gesture to the newly crowned champions as well. The Gunners will gather in two lines and welcome their opponent onto the pitch.

The Guard of honour is not compulsory according to Premier League norms, but it has become a symbol of sportsmanship in recent years. Interestingly, the north London side had famously formed a guard of honour for Manchester United in the 2012-13 season. The Red Devils team that day included former Arsenal star Robin van Persie.

Will Arsenal and Liverpool clash for a Premier League forward this summer?

Former Liverpool forward Robbie Fowler has urged the club to make a move for Ollie Watkins this summer. The Aston Villa striker was also linked with Arsenal in January, although a move failed to materialize.

Speaking to The i Paper, Fowler insisted that Watkins could be a good addition to Arne Slot's squad.

"If you’re not signing players, you risk potentially going backwards. Maybe [Darwin] Nunez will be a name on a few teams’ lists because he hasn’t played the amount of games he’d want to, so you assume Liverpool will try to bring a No 9," said Fowler.

He continued:

"You could look at Ollie Watkins. He doesn’t really fit the model in terms of what Liverpool want, given his age [29 years old], but I’d go and get him for a couple of years because he’s a tremendous player and established and experienced in the Premier League."

The Gunners are in the market for a new No. 9 and could return for Watkins this summer.

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Edited by Aditya Singh