Lee Dixon thinks Arsenal need to be wary of Liverpool’s attacking players on Friday, as they’re playing even better than they were back in August.
Dixon spoke to the Mirror Football Podcast on Wednesday, to give his thoughts ahead of the Liverpool game. He admitted he’s worried about the visiting side, particularly their new-look attack, which proved so effective against the Gunners at Anfield.
“It looks even better now than it did before,” said Dixon. “So that’s the worrying thing. Nothing much has changed in terms of Liverpool’s attacking prowess. As I say, if anything they’ve got a bit better. They’re playing some delightful football to watch.”
As for that result at Anfield, the former Gunner says the players won’t have forgotten it yet. It’s fairly common to hear footballers say they’ve moved on from a previous result, but the 53-year-old says the truth is you’re still thinking about it.
“As far as Arsenal are concerned, that will certainly be on the players’ minds,” Dixon argued. “There’s no doubt that when you’re playing a team that’s given you a good hiding in the previous fixture, it is on your mind.”
We covered Arsène Wenger’s worrying record against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool recently, and the players must be aware of it. When you concede three or more goals a game every time you play a team, it’s hard to ignore that fact.
Like Dixon says, Liverpool’s attack is probably even better now. Mohamed Salah has really hit his stride, and seems capable of scoring every single game. He’s already scored against rivals Everton, as well as big-six clubs like Chelsea, Spurs, and of course Arsenal.
Then there’s Philippe Coutinho. The Brazilian missed the earlier meeting between the two clubs, but he’s back and in great form now. He has three goals and five assists in his last six league games.
Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mané both love goals against the Gunners too. Mané has four goals and three assists in eight games facing Arsenal, and six wins. Firmino scored earlier this season, and has four goals and two assists in five games against Wenger’s side.
So wherever you look, there are goals for Liverpool. That’s before we even consider the possibility of a comeback goal for Oxlade-Chamberlain. Wenger needs to prepare Arsenal a lot better on Friday.