Today’s game at the Emirates between Arsenal and Liverpool is going to very hard to predict, with both teams having many players returning from the international break, and both managers having quite a few injuries to contend with as well.
Another big factor is that both teams have crucial European games coming up in midweek, although Arsenal have the advantage of playing on Thursday against Slavia Prague, while Liverpool have the daunting task of going to the Bernabeau to face Real Madrid on Tuesday to try and keep their hopes of trophy alive for this season.
So, with all these variables, including which team each manager chooses with midweek in mind, means today’s result is very unptredictable, but Klopp reckons that it depends on whether his defence is at their “top, top level” to give them any chance of winning the game.
He told the official Liverpool website: “….But Arsenal is a quality side – if you go through the team they have a lot of potential, a lot of quality already as well, have experience, have the youth, have a really exciting team, to be honest. That’s how it is.
“But the Premier League is a tough league. If you are not in each second on your absolutely top level then you get punished. We obviously realised that as well, not only this year but this year as well.
“It’s a tough one but should be a tough one for Arsenal as well – that’s actually my only intention, to make sure that we will be exactly the opponent Arsenal don’t want to face this weekend.
“For that we have to put a proper fight out there and have to defend on our absolutely top, top level. If we do that we have a chance. If not, not.”
I have a feeling that Mikel Arteta will also want his defence not to give any crazy goals away today as well, but you never know with our defence.
So could today’s result simply depend on who defends the best?