Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has named an unchanged starting line-up for this evening’s Premier League clash against Liverpool at Anfield.
The Gunners returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend.
They will now be aiming for another win against Jurgen Klopp’s side. The north London giants will be eyeing their first triumph at Anfield since 2012.
Ahead of the game, Arteta has made no changes to the side which beat the Seagulls at the Emirates.
David Raya continues in goal with Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Oleksandr Zinchenko forming the four-man backline against the Reds.
Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard continue as the midfield pairing. There is a boost on the bench with Jorginho and Mohamed Elneny back from respective injuries.
Further forward, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli will start on the right and left wing respectively as usual. Gabriel Jesus will lead the line for Arsenal.
Confirmed Arsenal line-up (4-3-3) vs Liverpool: Raya; White, Saliba, Magalhaes, Zinchenko; Rice, Odegaard, Havertz; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.
Arsenal are currently top of the league standings with 39 points. A draw at Anfield would ensure that they stay first in the table at Christmas for the second straight season.
However, Arteta will want the team to make a huge statement with an away victory against the Reds. It won’t be easy, having failed to win in their last 13 visits at Anfield.
The Gunners had an early two-goal lead at the stadium last term before squandering their advantage. They need a better defensive showing to end the wretched winless run.
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‘I’m not at all convinced’… ESPN pundit thinks 24-year-old Arsenal player is just not good enough
ESPN pundit Shaka Hislop is still not convinced that Kai Havertz is good enough for Arsenal despite his brilliant form recently.
The Gunners have been really good this season, and Havertz has been one of their best players over the last six weeks. He won the Player of the Month award in November and has the full support of Arsenal fans now. However, not everyone is convinced.
ESPN’s Shaka Hislop says he’s not convinced about Arsenal star Kai Havertz
Arsenal signed Kai Havertz in the summer from Chelsea in a £65 million deal (Sky Sports).
The 24-year-old had a difficult start to life in North London. He looked lost in his first few months as a Gunner, and that gave rise to a ton of criticism.
However, over the last month or so, Havertz has been much better. He looks settled in this Arsenal side, and everyone who watches him play can understand what Mikel Arteta is trying to do with him.
After scoring four goals recently, Havertz has won many people over, but ESPN pundit Shaka Hislop is not one of them.
He has claimed that the Arsenal man has to do so much more in order to convince him.
Hislop said on ESPN FC: “Listen, four goals in seven games is an incredible return for anybody, particularly a midfielder-cum-attacker. But I’m not at all convinced by Kai Havertz.
“Yes, he has had a good run of games, but it’s got to take a whole lot more to convince me.”
Kai Havertz can silence his doubters vs Liverpool
Arsenal take on Liverpool this evening in what will be a fantastic game to watch. The two sides will battle it out at Anfield, and the winner will lead the Premier League table at Christmas.
Kai Havertz is expected to start for Arsenal in his usual attacking midfielder role on the left side, and he will be key for Mikel Arteta’s side.
The 24-year-old’s height and aerial prowess could make a huge difference for Arsenal at Anfield, a place where they haven’t won a game in over 10 years. He’ll need to be on his toes defensively as well against Trent Alexander-Arnold.
If Havertz can have a great game and help Arsenal break their Anfield curse, people like Hislop may finally hold their hands up and admit that the German is a fantastic player.
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