“Isn’t fully confident” - David James highlights Arsenal star Liverpool must target if they want to win Premier League clash
Former Liverpool goalkeeper David James has highlighted which Arsenal player the Liverpool must target if they want to win their Premier League clash this weekend. The Englishman has urged his former side to focus on Gunners shot-stopper David Raya and exploit his positional weaknesses at Anfield on Saturday.
The Premier League is set for a massive showdown this weekend, as Liverpool and Arsenal prepare for their highly anticipated top-of-the-table clash on Saturday, December 23. Playing on home turf, Jurgen Klopp will be exploring how to get the better of Mikel Arteta in what promises to be an interesting tactical battle between the two elite managers.
Former Reds star David James shared his thoughts on how the Merseysiders can beat the Londoners. According to him, Liverpool need to exploit goalkeeper David Raya's lack of confidence and positional weakness to get the job done. He told instantcasino.com:
"Arsenal have got a goalkeeper in David Raya who, from what I’ve seen, isn’t fully confident. If he’s not confident, then the Arsenal defence won’t be confident."
He added:
"His positioning is definitely questionable from my perspective, and if I’m Liverpool I’d be shooting from silly positions. With Raya’s positioning, there’s the opportunity to score from places that you normally would not, and with the ability of Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, they can definitely nick a 1-0 win."
David Raya has had a promising start to life as a Gunner following his loan move in the summer. The Spaniard has so far made 17 appearances across all competitions, conceding 14 goals and recording eight clean sheets to his name. However, his consistency has been called into question given his sometimes shaky performances in the recent past.
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk previews Arsenal clash
Liverpool will be counting on Virgil van Dijk to nullify Arsenal's threats when the two teams face off at Anfield tomorrow.
Ahead of the encounter, the Dutchman shared his excitement for the match. Van Dijk reckoned that it would be a massive game at Anfield and added that he was looking forward to playing in it. He told Liverpool's official website:
"Definitely [Saturday is a massive game]. A very tough game ahead of us, Arsenal are in very good shape. Obviously it’s going to be a big one and one that I’m definitely looking forward to.They are very good, they are a very good team in every aspect."
The towering centre-back further stated that the Gunners were a very good side that he had great respect for. He, however, reiterated that he was determined to do everything he could to help his team claim all the three points at Anfield.
It is worth noting that whoever wins tomorrow's match between the two clubs will occupy the spot at the top of the Premier League table. A draw, however, would mean that Aston Villa would climb to the apex, provided they beat Sheffield United later today (December 22).