3 Key Battles That Will Decide Arsenal’s Fate Against Liverpool

Liverpool travel to the Premier League’s in-form side  hoping to not only end Arsenal’s six-game winning run and close the gap on Manchester United to two points with a win at the Emirates.

The Reds will have do that without Martin Skrtel and Steven Gerrard, as both of them are serving the first of a three-game ban for their stamps on David De Gea and Ander Herrera in their last league game.

The Gunners on the other hand, have been in sublime form and even a couple of injuries to key players doesn’t seem to be affecting their play. Their remarkable run of nine wins and just two league defeats in 2015 have put them in third place, just a point behind Manchester City.

A victory will be crucial for both sides as they look to their respective goals for the rest season. Here are the three key battles that will decide the outcome of this crucial encounter.

1. Can Giroud isolate Can?

One of the reasons why the Reds lost to United was because the Red Devils were able to exploit a weakness that nobody had managed thus far this season. Accurate long passes to Marouane Fellaini, who drifted towards the left side, meant that Emre Can, who has been one of the side’s best performers, was out of the game. Not only did the Belgian get the better of him in the air, he didn’t allow him a moment on the ball and disrupted his passing rhythm.

In Olivier Giroud, the Gunners have an in-form striker who is brilliant in the air and could perform the same role that Fellaini did. Although Arsene Wenger’s side are less likely to play many long balls as United did, if the Frenchman can stick close to the German midfielder and bully him in the air, it will reduce his and Liverpool’s effectiveness and ability to play the ball out of the back.

2. Full backs or wing backs- who will come out on top?

One of the problems of playing three at the back is that you demand an awful lot from your wingback. To both attack and defend for 90 minutes isn’t easy and not every full back can do it. Lazar Markovic seems to be able to do it quite well and the Reds will certainly welcome him into the side. Against United, Raheem Sterling played as the right wing-back and in doing so neutralized the threat he posed going forward because he was unable to affect the play from deep. Alberto Moreno on the other hand struggled with his defensive duties and was at fault for both of United’s goals. How the duo perform against Arsenal will certainly determine whether the 3-4-3 that Brendan Rodgers employs is a boon or a bane.

There is no such existential crisis for Arsenal, who have traditional full backs in Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal are full backs, who can both defend and attack. Although Bellerin prefers the latter, his pace means that he can get back even if he makes a mistake. Both of them have increased their influence in attack recently and Saturday will be an easier test for the duo with Liverpool’s lack of wingers. If the duo can create two-on-one situations on the flanks, then the Gunners will be able to nullify Liverpool’s threat while at the same time increasing their offensive productivity.

3. Santi Cazorla vs Jordan Henderson

Earlier in the season, all the talk was about Alexis Sanchez. Now, it is about Giroud’s return to goalscoring form and Aaron Ramsey. Quietly in the background, Santi Cazorla has managed to pull the strings and orchestrate Arsenal’s remarkable league form, which has seen them win nine of their last games and come from being outsiders for the top four to having a shot at finishing in second place. The Spaniard’s energy, ability to spot the right pass and enthusiasm has been integral in the way Wenger’s side play.

On Saturday, he will come up against another central midfielder, who is very similar in terms of his energy, eye for a pass and ability to score goals. Jordan Henderson has taken the role of the side’s midfield general with such ease, that it seems as though he has been doing it for decades. Without the suspended Gerrard, the Englishman will once again be crucial to Liverpool’s hopes of finishing fourth. If he can outperform Cazorla and stand out as the best midfielder of the game, then the Reds will certainly fancy their chances of not only scoring a goal, but maybe even winning the game.