Arsenal’s Charity Shield victory over Chelsea indicated that perhaps we were ready to see a more consistent side, but then order was restored with their 2-0 home loss at the hands of West Ham. Arsène Wenger had a challenge on his hands to inspire his team to rebound with a 2-1 away win over Crystal Palace. Liverpool represent the next challenge for Wenger.
One of the most fascinating stories this season will be how embattled Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers performs. The Northern Irishman spent yet more money on bringing in several new players, many of whom still need to be worked into the starting line-up. Rodgers has already squandered tens of millions, so it remains to be seen whether his latest crop of new players will live up to their price tags.
Expectations
Arsenal had to battle for their 2-1 win over Crystal Palace. The Gunners controlled 59% of possession and created 20 attempts on target, but could only get seven shots on target. Even then, Arsenal needed an own goal from Crystal Palace to win the game. Wenger’s team could need another couple of weeks before they start to play at a higher level.
Throughout the offseason, Premier League analysts have been struggling to figure out Brendan Rodger’s tactical approach for the new season. Well, Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Stoke City let everybody see that Rodgers appears to be set on a 4-2-3-1 formation. With Daniel Sturridge’s return from a hip injury still unknown, expect for Liverpool to continue with a 4-2-3-1 for the next few weeks.
Arsenal and Liverpool could easily cancel each other out. These two teams have played well in spurts, but are some way off in maintaining their best form. Do not be surprised to see a draw come the final whistle.
Match Tips
Tip one: Draw @ 3.70
Tip two: No for both teams to score @ 2.10
Both sides will be under pressure to not this lose this game. And with Liverpool being quite un-fancied to win, it is possible to get odds of 3.70 on a draw.