Remember when Arsenal lost its first two games of the season under new manager Unai Emery? Yeah, well that feels like a distant memory as the Gunners have now reeled off an eight-match unbeaten run in the league and sit fourth in the table. Next up for Arsenal is a date with second-placed Liverpool at the Emirates in the tastiest matchup of the Premier League weekend.
The Gunners are offering tremendous value on home turf at +285 with the Reds at EVEN money and the draw at +280. Spread betting has the Gunners as half-goal home dogs at -115 and Liverpool -105 as faves. The total is at 3.0 with OVER -125 and UNDER +105. Great value everywhere here.
These two Premier League titans have met in some epic matches down the years, not the least of which was this fixture last season. And if history is any indication, this should be an easy one to figure out, right?
Let’s dig into this game and find some bets, shall we?
- There have been 27 goals scored in the last five league meetings.
- Arsenal has won seven and drawn one in its last eight league games.
- Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita have both been ruled out by Jurgen Klopp.
Arsenal vs Liverpool Game Center
History Points to Goals
Just a quick glance at the recent head-to-head meetings between these two sides points to a slew of goals and with the incredible attacking options on the pitch for both sides, do we really have any reason to believe this will be any different?
In the previous five Premier League meetings between these two giants, there have been a combined 27 goals scored, yielding an unreal 5.4 goals per game. Incredible goal-scoring when these two clash.
In last season’s meeting at the Emirates, Liverpool went up 2-0 before a flurry of Gunners goals to go up 3-2. Ultimately, it was Roberto Firmino who equalized in the 71st minute in what was a thrilling contest.
With names like Firmino, Salah, Mane, Lacazette, Aubameyang, Ozil and so on, there are tons of goals on the field here. As mentioned, the total is set at 3.0 here and while the OVER is the chalky option at -125, it’s not my pick (as you’ll see below) but considering what traditionally happens when these two meet, it’s not the worst wager on the board.
Gunners Rolling Under Emery
With the Arsene Wenger era ending, Unai Emery, a manager with a very good resume, was brought in to fill that oversized coat. It wasn’t the greatest start to his tenure, but since those first losses of the season, the Gunners have been absolutely flying.
Across all competitions, Arsenal has 12 wins, two losses and one draw. In the league, Arsenal has seven wins, one draw and two defeats. Those two defeats came in the first two games of the Premier League season and were at home against Manchester City and away to Chelsea. If you’re gonna take an L, those aren’t the worst spots, let’s be honest.
Since then, Arsenal has scored 22 goals and conceded eight. While the defense is still a bit of a concern, the attacking has been irresistible. Now, Arsenal has played some decent sides in their current eight-match unbeaten run (think Everton, Watford, Leicester), but has yet to face a real power over that span. That’s why this Liverpool fixture is a big one for Emery and Arsenal. A win and people can start talking about contending for a title, though Manchester City is clearly the cream of the crop.
Injury Concerns for Liverpool’s Midfield
Both teams face some serious issues in terms of missing players but Liverpool might be in trouble, specifically in the middle of the park. According to manager Jurgen Klopp, both Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita look set to miss out here, joining Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the injured list. That could force Klopp to go with the likes of Fabinho and/or change the formation of the side. Liverpool certainly has quality on the bench.
Arsenal will be without the young and talented Matteo Guendouzi but it looks like Hector Bellerin, Nacho Monreal and Sokratis could miss out here as well. A lot of missing players on that Gunners backline, which could force Granit Xhaka to play out of position at leftback once again and force Stephan Lichtsteiner into the XI at rightback if Bellerin cannot go.
The missing names from the Liverpool midfield and Arsenal backline opens this up for another goal-scoring feast. But, as always, keep an eye on player news and starting XIs here.
Ninja’s Pick
Plenty of good stuff on the board here: anything from moneyline markets is in play and don’t sleep on the total as well. Of course, with these two meeting, getting involved in the “to score anytime” markets would be worth your wager as well so check your book for those options. But I’ll be playing OVER 1.5 in the first half, which is out there at +135.
Remember those previous five Premier League meetings I was referring to? Four of those would have cashed this wager with two or more goals at the break. Last season’s 3-3 thriller was the outlier but with the way these teams are playing and the players that could potentially miss out, the value on at least two goals in the first 45 is too good to pass up.
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