Arsenal have nine games left to navigate in the title race, and Sunday’s game at Anfield feels like a defining encounter.
They have not won at Liverpool in the Premier League for more than a decade, with their last victory in 2012, when Mikel Arteta started in midfield.
In seven away games against Liverpool in the League since Jurgen Klopp was appointed eight years ago, Arsenal have lost by an aggregate score of 25-7 to the home side. There have been some chastening defeats, something Arteta is well aware of.
Ahead of last season’s trip to the red half of Merseyside, he made his players train with speakers by the side of the pitch blaring out You’ll Never Walk Alone. The thinking was it would help the squad mentally prepare for the atmosphere at Anfield, but Arsenal suffered a 4-0 defeat that ended a 10-game unbeaten run.
Eight points clear of Manchester City at the top, the Gunners will be wary about Liverpool bursting their bubble again this weekend.
Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka said: “It does not matter how their season is going, they are always dangerous and, at Anfield, a very difficult team. But we have confidence enough to win there. This is what we will try to do. That’s why we are going there, so let’s see if we bring the three points back.”
It is not surprising that Xhaka is so full of confidence. After scoring in Saturday’s 4-1 win over Leeds, the Swiss has four goals in his last five games for club and country.
His return to form is timely. Adding goals to his game was a large part of Arsenal’s success early in the season, but they had dried up. After scoring four goals in his first 15 games, Xhaka then went 21 matches without one.
He ended that run on March 16, scoring against Sporting in the Europa League, and he has rediscovered his goalscoring touch now that Gabriel Jesus is fit and back in the side.
Five of his seven goals for Arsenal this season have come when Jesus has been on the pitch, while the other two occurred when Leandro Trossard has filled in as a false nine.
Xhaka has thrived in the space Jesus and Trossard create, which had not been the case when Eddie Nketiah, more of a penalty-box poacher, played.
Reunited with Jesus, Xhaka is ready to shine again in a game that could go a long way to deciding Arsenal’s pursuit of the title.
