Wright predicts Arsenal win as Neville claims Gunners 'will play for a point'
Arsenal travel to Anfield on Sunday looking to reclaim top spot in the Premier League, and the pundits are split right down the middle on what will happen. Six leading voices, including Ian Wright, Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Jamie Carragher, have all offered their verdicts ahead of the gameweek nine showdown, and the range of predictions tells its own story about how finely poised the title race has become.
Mikel Arteta's side arrive on the back of a shock Carabao Cup exit, though that defeat came with a heavily rotated team. Arsenal still sit two points above Manchester City, who were beaten 1-0 at home by Brighton on Saturday, the same side that also got the better of Arsenal recently.
The Friday Injury Tracker
Who's out, who's back and what it means for the next two games.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have been building momentum and would move to within three points of Arsenal with a win at Anfield, a ground where the Gunners have not won in 14 years.
Wright backs Arsenal, Keane expects a draw
Speaking on Stick to Football, as reported by the Mirror, Arsenal legend Ian Wright backed his former club, though he admitted he nearly wavered. “I think we beat them. This is the game that kind of defines Liverpool if they are coming back. You're looking at Mac Allister, even Gakpo to step up… but deep down, I really think we beat them. 2-1 Arsenal,” Wright said.
It was Roy Keane who almost talked Wright out of his prediction. The former Manchester United midfielder said: “I'm thinking draw, Liverpool did well against City until the red card, 1-1?” That City game remains Liverpool's only defeat of the season so far.
Neville's dig, Carragher's U turn
Gary Neville, who will be on commentary duty alongside Wright, did not hold back when giving his forecast. “Arsenal will play for a point,” he said bluntly, despite Arteta having publicly insisted he believes his side can win all three points at Anfield.
Jamie Carragher, who had floated the idea earlier in the week that Liverpool could yet enter the title picture, struck a more measured tone in his column for The Telegraph. “It would be premature to describe this Sunday's Anfield fixture as a title duel. Arsenal are better equipped to defend their crown, while Liverpool are a work in progress,” he wrote, adding that Arsenal would leave Merseyside as “the overwhelming favourites” regardless of the result given their six point lead. On Stick to Football, however, Carragher admitted bias before going with “2-1, Liverpool.”
Alan Shearer told Betfair he expects a score draw, citing Liverpool's form despite Arsenal's midweek cup exit being with a much changed side. Chris Sutton, writing in his BBC Sport predictions, went for a repeat of last season's 1-0 Anfield scoreline, Dominik Szoboszlai's free kick strike then, but with a different winner this time, pointing to Alexander Isak's recent return to scoring form for Liverpool.
With six contrasting verdicts and little consensus, Sunday's clash at Anfield looks set to go a long way toward shaping how the title race is viewed heading into the winter months.
