"This is a big game" - Gabby Agbonlahor makes prediction for Liverpool vs Arsenal
Former Aston Villa and England forward Gabby Agbonlahor has backed Liverpool to beat Arsenal in the headliner Premier League clash on Saturday, December 23. Jurgen Klopp's side will take on Mikel Arteta's Gunners in the top-of-the-table clash at Anfield.
Ahead of the game, Gabby Agbonlahor has claimed that Liverpool will be major favorites at home and Arsenal would probably love to snatch a draw. The former Aston Villa attacker insisted that while the Gunners have been excellent this season, Jurgen Klopp's side are just picking up their form.
He told talkSPORT, as quoted by TBR Football:
“This is a big game. This is a game where Arsenal will look at it and say ‘you know what? We don’t mind a draw, we’ll take the draw and move forward. Liverpool are strong at home. But I’m going to go with a Liverpool win. I feel like Arsenal have been amazing this season but Liverpool are starting to get form."
Agbonlahor said that the Merseyside giants are better defensively compared to Mikel Arteta's side with Virgil van Dijk back to his best:
“They’re doing better defensively as well. Van Dijk at the back with Konate. I’m going to go with a 2-0 Liverpool win."
Arsenal took an early 2-0 lead at Anfield last season but had to settle for a 2-2 draw with the Reds pegging them back twice.
This season, meanwhile, Liverpool did exceptionally well to come back to winning ways after two games. They completed a strong 5-1 win against West Ham United in the League Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday, December 20. Before that, they lost 2-1 to Union Saint-Gilloise in the Europa League and were held to a 0-0 draw by Manchester United in the Premier League.
Arsenal, on the other hand, regained the top spot in the table with a 2-0 win against Brighton & Hove Albion at the Emirates last week. However, a loss against the Reds will see them slip down the table as they sit just a point above the Merseysiders.
Arsenal star on upcoming clash against Liverpool
Arsenal attacker Leandro Trossard has shared how the Gunners can beat Liverpool at Anfield in a top-of-the-Premier League table clash on Saturday.
During a recent interview with Canal+, Trossard said (h/t The Standard):
"They have such a good squad and such a great team, and you can tell how they are evolving this season as well, how well they are doing. It is always a really tough place to go to get points from, so we have to be so, so good in the game and on the day to get away with points and, hopefully, the three points."
Trossard insisted that the Gunners must believe in themselves if they have to salvage three points from Anfield, saying:
"I think we are in a good moment now. We had a really good game [in a 2-0 win] against Brighton. We have got the momentum going again and we have such a good squad. If everyone is at their best, we can beat them there. Obviously, there are numerous factors that can decide a game – but we have to believe in ourselves that we can win there. Hopefully we can do that."
Trossard has been impressive for the north London side this season having netted six goals and laid out two assists in 20 games across all competitions. He has been an excellent squad player for Mikel Arteta playing across the attack as well as in midfield.