Arsenal will be travelling to Liverpool this Saturday as they gear up to face Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League. The Gunners are just one point and a place ahead of their opponents, but do have a game in hand, having had their last week’s fixture against Southampton cancelled, owing to the Saints’ involvement in the EFL Cup.
Considering how close it is at the top of the table and how tight the competition is for the Champions League spots, the encounter is of prime importance to both the teams.
However, Arsene Wenger could be without his star playmaker Mesut Ozil for the fixture. The German international missed training on Wednesday due to illness and faces a race against time to be fit for the trip to Anfield. Ozil missed two matches earlier in January due to illness but Arsenal are hoping he will be passed fit to play.
The 28-year old has featured 29 times for the Gunners this season across all competitions, having scored nine goals and further setting up eight more for his teammates. But in recent weeks, Ozil has gone off the boil and has been under severe criticism from all quarters due to some dour and uninspiring displays. But given the quality and the class that he possesses, his absence could prove to be extremely beneficiary for Liverpool.
The Reds have struggled big time in recent weeks and were thrashed badly by a struggling Leicester City side 3-1 on Monday night. Having just won one Premier League fixture since the start of the new year, Jurgen Klopp’s men would be hoping to get their faltering season back on track.
Having conceded three goals against the Foxes who had failed to score a single goal since the turn of the year, plenty of questions have been asked about the leaky defence of the Reds. So, they will be happy with whatever positive news that comes along their way and Ozil’s potential absence is one of those good things for the Reds.
The German playmaker on his day, can tear apart opposition defences with his exemplary vision and his amazing range of passing. He has the ability to pick out his teammates’ runs with surgical precision and in the early parts of the season had established a telepathic understanding with the brilliant Alexis Sanchez. Ozil has the ability to change a game in a matter of few magical moments. And having improved on his goal-scoring as well this season, he could have proved to be a huge problem for Liverpool to deal with.
Yes, he has been on the wane in recent weeks. Yes, he has been a passenger for the Gunners in crucial games against the big oppositions in the past. But his class and quality are undoubted and it is only a matter of time before he bounces back to his brilliant best. And if he isn’t fit and available against Liverpool, there is no doubt that the Merseysiders will breathe a sigh of relief, having one lesser threat to worry about.