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Arsenal have a big one coming up. Their first “big one” since the start of the season. Here are five key guys to stay on track vs Liverpool.
If you buy the hype and the headlines, Arsenal have already lost their match against Liverpool. There are people out there saying that this Gunners’ defense just can’t stand up to Liverpool, doubly so since they couldn’t stand up to Crystal Palace.
There is some truth in that. But there is also the truth that the Gunners have scored the second most goals of any other team in the Premier League. Meaning that while their defense struggled early on (and is now coming around greatly), it would still fall on their attack to be the driving force.
Which is something we should all have confidence in. But in the meantime, I share the fears about what might happen against an attack as potent as Liverpools. This defense will have to be uncharacteristically good, and while that isn’t as impossible as it sounds, it’s best to hope for an attacking masterclass.
With that in mind, let’s talk about five guys that are going to be absolutely crucial in order to take any points away from this clash with a title favorite. We start with No. 5.
5. Bernd Leno
No matter how much the attack is going to be the driving force, we are still going to need the defense to not completely soil themselves. And that starts in goal.
Bernd Leno looks set to hold down the starting role, which tees him up for his first really massive test against Liverpool. He has faced “big tests” before in the Bundesliga, facing the likes of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, but in order to maximize his progress at his new club, he’s going to have to put in a pretty convincing effort here against Liverpool.
There can’t be mistakes, plain and simple. And while we’ve seen him look like a commanding presence in recent matches, that will have to carry on through a team that is going to test him more than any other club this year.
I think he’s up to the task, but then again, I am always woefully optimistic.
Let’s move on to No. 4.