Arsenal vs Liverpool: Is Dani Ceballos the biggest threat?

Arsenal know it won’t be easy against Liverpool, but if Dani Ceballos can replicate Burnley, he may become out biggest threat. And in such little time.

Dani Ceballos put forth a man of the match performance in his full Arsenal debut against Burnley. He changed the face of the match with his Cazorla-esque abilities. And now, going into Liverpool, even with all the weapons we have available, I’m beginning to think that if we were to get the most out of any of our players, the priority has to fall on Ceballos.

Any time we travel to Anfield, or any other major match, I’m asking who Arsenal need to see at their best most of all. Usually, that person is Alexandre Lacazette, or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. It used to be Aaron Ramsey. Sometimes I’d say that Mesut Ozil needs to find his form, yada yada.

And despite my unabashed bias to Granit Xhaka, I don’t often (enough) harp about how important he is, and how his performance could dictate the result of the match. Though it very well could (had to get that in there).

Obviously defense is going to play an important role, but Arsenal’s best chance of taking points from this will come from their ability to get the ball forward to their attack as quickly as possible.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win

Xhaka has a part to play in that, but the biggest influencer in this regard will be Ceballos, who doesn’t spray the ball forward to leave the attackers to their own devices, like Xhaka. He takes the ball to them and creates the chance for them.

Getting the most out of our strikers is key to this one. Feeding them chances, getting them on the ball close to goal. No one sees to that responsibility more than Ceballos, who, again, plays that Cazorla role of meddling deeper in the midfield but, once he gets the ball, pushing forward.

That’s why he stands out to me as the premier weapon we have against the Reds. Lacazette and Aubameyang aren’t far behind, but they need someone to get them involved, and that person is Ceballos.

Pepe could also get into the flow and influence the match, and be an impact, but until we see that first clutch match, I’ll withhold expectations.

It’s all about Ceballos. Our fullbacks will have their hands full, Xhaka will probably have to stay deeper in the formation, the strikers need involvement. Ceballos delivers, we succeed.