Arsenal hold subtle edge over Liverpool ahead of Anfield showdown
Mikel Arteta's side will head into Sunday's Premier League clash at Anfield with an extra day's rest compared to Liverpool, a small but potentially significant advantage as the title race begins to take shape.
Arsenal's elimination from the Carabao Cup fourth round at the hands of Fleetwood Town on Tuesday night ranks among the biggest upsets in English football history. But with the defeat came an unintended benefit: an additional 24 hours of recovery time before facing Andoni Iraola's Liverpool this weekend.
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Liverpool, by contrast, were in Carabao Cup action on Wednesday night, knocking Chelsea out of the competition. That means Iraola's side will have only three days to recover and prepare for Sunday's fixture at Anfield, compared to Arsenal's four.
A title race taking shape
Arsenal currently share top spot in the Premier League with Manchester City, separated only by goal difference. Liverpool sit six points behind the leaders, with Brighton a point clear of them in third.
The weekend's other results could further scramble the picture. Chelsea could leapfrog Liverpool with victory over Manchester United on Saturday lunchtime, before Enzo Maresca's side look to overtake Brighton later in the afternoon. Should Manchester City and Xabi Alonso's Manchester United side be beaten by a combined 14 goal swing, Chelsea could even move into third place.
Liverpool have endured a slower start to the season than many expected given the strength of their forward line, one of the most expensive in the Premier League. They have lost just once all season, however, and have conceded in the opening half an hour in two of their three draws, suggesting they are closer to the pace than the six point gap implies.
Injury concerns for Arteta
Arsenal will travel to Merseyside with some fitness doubts of their own. Speaking to reporters after the Fleetwood defeat, Arteta said: “Calafiori was out, Noni was out with an ankle, and Declan was feeling a problem the other day, which is why I had to substitute him.”
Declan Rice was not fit enough to be included in the squad that travelled to Blackpool to face Fleetwood Town, though he was well enough to visit Tulleys Farm in Crawley for some pumpkin picking rather than make the trip north.
It remains unclear whether Rice, Riccardo Calafiori and Noni Madueke will be fit enough to feature at Anfield. Arteta is expected to provide further clarity when he speaks to the press on Friday afternoon, as reported by football.london.
With the extra rest in the bank, Arsenal will hope their squad can recover in time to field as strong a side as possible against a Liverpool team desperate to close the gap at the top of the table.
