EPL

The Numbers Game: Title-chasing Gunners go in search of long-awaited Anfield win

By Sports Desk April 07, 2023

It is over a decade since Arsenal won at Anfield in the Premier League, but they will be confident of moving a step closer to winning the title by beating Liverpool on Sunday.

The Gunners head to Merseyside riding on the crest of a wave following seven consecutive top-flight wins.

Manchester City can reduce Arsenal's lead at the top of the table to five points by beating bottom-of-the-table Southampton on Saturday and the champions will be hoping for a favour from the Reds.

Eighth-place Liverpool were held to a drab goalless draw at Chelsea after losing three games in a row and they are in desperate need of points to have any chance of securing a European spot.

The Reds have not lost at home to Arsenal in the top flight since a 2-0 defeat in September 2012 and have won their past six Premier League games against the London club in their own backyard.

Stats Perform use Opta data to preview another huge match for Mikel Arteta's side in the title race.

Reds in need of more home comforts

While this has been a season to forget for Liverpool, their struggles have not been due to their home form.

Jurgen Klopp's side have only been beaten once at Anfield in the top flight and won five of their past six Premier League home games.

They demolished Manchester United 7-0 in their last home match and have gone seven hours and 26 minutes without conceding a goal in the Premier League at Anfield since Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's strike for Leicester City in December.

Klopp is looking to win seven in a row against the same opponent in his top-flight managerial career for the first time since doing so against Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund (2009-15).

The last manager to win seven consecutive home top-flight games against Arsenal was John Nicholson between 1921 and 1928 with Sheffield United.

 

Ramsdale can match Cech and Ederson

Arsenal have only conceded nine goals on their travels in the Premier League this season.

Aaron Ramsdale has kept nine clean sheets away from home in a brilliant campaign that could finish with the Gunners ending such a long wait to be crowned champions.

Petr Cech (11 in 2004-05, 10 in 2008-09) and Ederson (11 in 2018-19, 10 in 2021-22) are the only goalkeepers to have recorded at least 10 shutouts on the road in a Premier League season.

Ramsdale is just one away from joining a very exclusive club.

Salah back with a bang?

Mohamed Salah was restricted to a substitute appearance in the stalemate at Stamford Bridge this week, but the forward should be back in the side to take on the leaders.

Salah has been involved in 105 Premier League goals in 105 appearances at Anfield for the Reds (74 goals, 31 assists).

The Egypt star is looking to score in four consecutive home top-flight appearances for the first time since a six-game run between January and June 2020.

He also boasts a record that suggests he enjoys facing Arsenal, having had a hand in seven goals in five appearances against the Gunners at Anfield (5 goals, 2 assists).

Trossard to torment Reds again? 

Leandro Trossard scored a hat-trick for Brighton and Hove Albion in a 3-3 draw at Liverpool back in October.

Only two players have scored at Anfield for two different sides in the same Premier League season: Dean Saunders in 1992-93 (Liverpool, Aston Villa) and Robbie Keane in 2008-09 (Liverpool, Tottenham).

No player has found the back of the net at Liverpool's home for two different away sides in a single campaign.

Related items

  • Sessegnon rejoins boyhood club Fulham after Tottenham departure Sessegnon rejoins boyhood club Fulham after Tottenham departure

    Ryan Sessegnon has resigned for Fulham on a free transfer, five years after leaving the club.

    The 24-year-old signed a two-year contract with the Cottagers with the option to extend for a further year following his departure from Tottenham last month.

    In his first spell at the club, Sessegnon worked his way through the academy over 11 years, scoring 25 goals in 120 first-team appearances.

    He then moved to Spurs in a £25million deal in 2019, though struggled to nail down a place in North London, making just 57 appearances in all competitions, and scoring three goals.

    "It's amazing to be back. Emotional, as well," he told FFCtv. "It's where it started for me, where everything began, and it's amazing to be back.

    "It will always be home for me. I think it had the feeling that it was meant to be, coming back here, so I'm delighted to get it done."

    Sessegnon is Fulham's first signing of the transfer window, though they have seen plenty of first-team departures already, with Joao Palhinha, Tosin Adarabioyo and Bobby De Cordova-Reid all leaving the club.

  • Dewsbury-Hall: Maresca will surprise people at Chelsea Dewsbury-Hall: Maresca will surprise people at Chelsea

    Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall believes new Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca will "surprise a lot of people" when they watch the Blues this season.

    The Italian led Leicester City straight back to the Premier League as Championship winners in his only season in charge and succeeds Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge.

    The Foxes topped the second division table with 98 points, with Dewsbury-Hall a key figure in his squad as he netted 12 goals and provided 14 assists last season – his best tally in a single campaign.

    Dewsbury-Hall was also named Leicester's Player and Players' Player of the Year.

    The midfielder made the switch to West London earlier this month for £30million and is confident that Maresca will have Chelsea challenging for trophies in no time.

    "The manager was a big catalyst in wanting me to come," Dewsbury-Hall told BBC Sport.

    "I knew from Leicester, a club that went down and had a lot of problems, how he managed to galvanise that if everyone manages to buy into the system.

    "I genuinely think in a short space of time we can be pushing for minimum top four - but more than that.

    "He may be unknown for a lot of people, but he is top, top level. He will surprise a lot of people."

    Chelsea's pre-season got off to a frustrating start as they were held to a 2-2 draw by League One side Wrexham in Maresca's first game in charge on Wednesday.

    Dewsbury-Hall did not play in that match but is training with the squad in the United States and could feature in their next outing against Celtic on Saturday.

    The 25-year-old is confident the manager's tactics will come across soon, with the players buying into his style.

    "We've only been doing it for two or three weeks, but the combination plays are really quick and tidy," he added.

    "That's after two weeks. I remember he said to us at Leicester after six months or a year, there might be teething problems at the start, but it will improve.

    "Within the first week at Leicester, I was convinced this was top, top level. I felt a bit stupid; I thought I knew a lot about football, but he was teaching me things on a daily basis that I didn't really know before. He has an aura, he can be strict, or gentle and soft - he has both sides.

    "I am getting the same feedback here with the lads. They've bought into it here from minute one which is exciting. With a system and philosophy, you need everyone to buy in because, if they do, you can really achieve something."

  • Ederson slams reports of rift with Man City backup Ortega Ederson slams reports of rift with Man City backup Ortega

    Ederson has hit out at reports of a rift between himself and fellow Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega.

    The Brazilian was substituted after suffering a fractured eye socket in City's penultimate game of the Premier League season, a vital 1-0 win over Tottenham. 

    Ortega replaced him and made a brilliant save to deny Son Heung-min as City maintained their slender lead over Arsenal at the top of the table, sealing an unprecedented fourth straight title by beating West Ham five days later. 

    Ortega was widely lauded for his role in that triumph, and an article published by The Athletic this week suggested Ederson took issue with that praise.

    However, the goalkeeper – who missed the Copa America as a result of his injury – has now moved to shut down those suggestions with a post to his Instagram story.

    "I would like to clarify that the note published by The Athletic yesterday, referring to my alleged dissatisfaction with a co-worker, is completely false," he wrote. 

    "The alleged day reported was, without a doubt, one of the most difficult days of my career, when I suffered a fracture that prevented me from playing in the final stretch of the season and, consequently, from representing my country in the Copa America.

    "At the time of the injury, my only thought was to continue in the match, defending City in the fight for the title. 

    "But the emotion of the match would be greater than the reality and, inevitably, I would not be able to continue as I would have liked due to the damage it caused, completely blocking my field of vision. I remain focused on preparing for the season."

    Ederson has been linked with a transfer in recent days, reportedly attracting interest from Saudi Pro League clubs.

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.