Stuttering Arsenal need big statement against Liverpool

LONDON: Arsenal’s serene start to the season has hit stormy waters in the past week and Mikel Arteta’s side know they can ill-afford to lose at home to Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday.

Defeat at Bournemouth last weekend was Arsenal’s first in any competition since April and not only did they drop three points but they also lost key defender William Saliba for the Liverpool clash after his red card.

Arsenal responded with a laboured 1-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday in the Champions League but even that came at a cost with defender Riccardo Calafiori hobbling off 20 minutes from time with an injury.

The Italian could be missing along with the suspended Saliba plus injured trio Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber for the visit of a Liverpool side who have begun the post Juergen Klopp era in outstanding fashion.

Liverpool’s 1-0 victory against RB Leipzig on Wednesday means new manager Arne Slot has won 11 of his first 12 games in charge and all six away from home -- both club records. Defeat would leave Arsenal seven points adrift of Slot’s side and potentially six behind Manchester City, who host second-bottom Southampton on Saturday.

That might not have Arteta hitting the panic button but allowing their two biggest title rivals such an early head start would leave the Londoners with precious little wriggle room in the months ahead.

Following Arsenal’s scrappy win over Donetsk, Arteta promised his team would be ‘flying’ on Sunday after four days’ preparation but Liverpool, despite one day less to recover after their trip to Germany, will arrive brimming with confidence. “Arteta has done an amazing job in the last few years and we have to be on top of our game to get a result,” Slot said.