Arsenal Vs Liverpool: 5 key players to watch – Granit Xhaka’s big test

Arsenal host Liverpool in a crucial Premier League match on Friday night, hoping to establish their top-four credentials. Here are five key players to watch.

4-0 was the scoreline when these two teams last met. It was late August. Arsenal were coming off a stark 1-0 away loss to Stoke City. Liverpool were flying high, flourishing with more time to adapt to Jurgen Klopp’s blistering, energetic, heavy-metal style. It did not end prettily. But this, apparently, is a different Gunners’ team. They now have the chance to prove it.

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Here are five key players to watch ahead of Friday night’s crucial Premier League match.

5. Alexandre Lacazette

Against the other top six teams — three of the five games have been away from home; two have been at the much more facilitating Emirates –, Alexandre Lacazette has made just three starts. He was subbed off early in two of those games. He has scored only two goals, both in games that were lost 3-1. This is not to say that he has played poorly. But he has not exactly made his name known.

He does, however, have eight goals on the season. That is eighth best in the Premier League and more than any other Arsenal player. In fact, the next best figure in the Gunners’ squad is four, shared by Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud. All four of the Frenchman’s goals have come from the substitutes bench.

So Lacazette, while playing well and showing promise, is yet to have that breakout performance. He is yet to thrust his name into the national media’s limelight. He is yet to establish himself as a household name. Friday is his chance to do just that. Contrast, say, his impact to that of the next guy’s…