Arsenal v Liverpool Preview and Betting Tip
Arsenal v Liverpool Preview
We finally landed a couple of decent touches in the City v Chelsea game last week. Our City win to nil and City to win 1-0 bets both hit at odds of 3.00 and 9.00 respectively. This midweek the focus is firmly on the EFL Carabao Cup clash between Covid dodgers Arsenal and Liverpool at the Emirates. The first leg finished 0-0 and it wasn’t the most exciting of spectacles. The Gunners are 3.75 underdogs tonight, the draw is also 3.75 and you can back The Reds for the win at 2.01. Check out our Arsenal v Liverpool EFL Cup semi-final preview below.
Arsenal
The Gunners deserve a lot of credit for their 0-0 draw at Anfield. Granit Xhaka saw red after just 25 minutes and after that, Liverpool completely dominated possession. However, Arsenal’s low block was disciplined and well organised after that early blow. Liverpool had nearly 80% possession but they could only muster one measly shot on target, the same amount as Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta’s men defended brilliantly and had to overcome even more adversity due to an injury to Cedric. Their ever growing injury list (and AFCON) was likely what forced them to apply to have their Sunday game with Spurs postponed, even though they only had one positive COVID test. The authorities, surprisingly, called the game off. Arsenal have now had a week off to recover from their Anfield exertions, a break that they likely badly needed.
The biggest issue for Arsenal is in the engine room. Lokonga looks to be their only available senior central midfielder. Arteta might move Ben White from centre-back, or maybe even Kieran Tierney could do a job in there. It is far from an ideal scenario for Arsenal but they’ll just have to get on with it. Key players like Gabriel, White, Tierney, Lacazette and Saka will need to lead by example for them tonight. If Liverpool have another one of their ever more frequent off-days, Arsenal have sufficient quality to take advantage.
Liverpool
The Reds have fallen well behind City in the title race (11 points) so Klopp will be looking elsewhere for silverware this season. The EFL Cup is a good opportunity for them but Liverpool are in patchy form. Yeah, they beat Brentford 3-0 at the weekend but they again looked very vulnerable defensively at times. If Brentford had a shade more quality and composure in the final third, they could have scored a couple. A Fabinho goal from a corner on the stroke of half time finally settled Liverpool’s nerves and they eventually ran out 3-0 winners.
Whatever about Mane and Keita, Salah is a huge loss for this team at the AFCON. Chamberlain was added to the injury list at the weekend and he joins Origi, Thiago, Phillips and Elliott on the treatment table. Klopp can still call on his usual back four and in midfield he’ll likely go with Fabinho, Henderson and either Curtis Jones or Milner.
In the first leg at Anfield, Liverpool huffed and puffed but they created very little. They lacked creativity in midfield and for once, Alexander-Arnold’s radar malfunctioned. The Reds’ front three of Jota, Minamino and Firmino just isn’t as dynamic or dangerous without Salah and they’ll need to put in a much better showing tonight if Liverpool are to seal their spot in the final.
Arsenal v Liverpool Possible Lineups
Arsenal: Ramsdale, Tavares, Gabriel, Holding, Tierney, Lokonga, White, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Lacazette.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson, Henderson, Fabinho, Jones, Minamino, Jota, Firmino.
Arsenal v Liverpool Betting Tip
Liverpool have been well backed to win this match with punters latching on to Arsenal’s injury crisis. They should win it on paper, especially given The Gunners midfield absentees, but they are not in great form. They won 3-0 at the weekend but it was a far from convincing performance and in their last seven matches in all competitions they have won just two in normal time (Brentford and Shrewsbury).
Arsenal are winless in three themselves but their home form has been rock solid. Yes, they lost unluckily to City on New Year’s Day but before that defeat they had won ten of their previous eleven home matches this season. If they are going to get a result tonight, the speed of Martinelli could be key. Liverpool are always susceptible to balls over and in behind their high line and it only takes one accurate pass to slice them open. He has electric pace and he’ll look to attack the space behind Arnold every chance he gets. The result of this contest is too tough to call so just back Martinelli to score anytime at odds of 4.00.
