Arsenal
Liverpool vs Arsenal : The Gunners must keep close watch on this ‘low-profile’ striker
Arsenal take on Liverpool at the Anfield stadium later today as they hope to return back to winning ways after their unexpected 1-1 draw against Brighton.
Defeating the Reds, as they know, won’t be an easy task because Liverpool are very strong at the end of the pitch and are yet to concede more than seven goals so far this season.
Unai Emery must come up with his strongest attacking setup if he must get a meaningful result against Jurgen Klopp’s team after the highly-anticipated game.
Apart from naming his best strikers in the starting XI, Emery must equally charge his defenders to keep close watch on Liverpool strikers.
Sadio Mane, Firmino and Salah need no introduction, they painted the League with goals throughout last season, making them the best attacking frontline in the world during the 2017-18 season.
After enduring a less productive start to the season, the trio have regained their magical touch in front of goal and they have scored 23 goals between them so far.
Considering their recent form, Emery won’t be asking too much if he tasks his players to closely monitor the three players throughout the game.
However, Emery shouldn’t be carried away with the trio’s form, he must take Xherdan Shaqiri more serious because the Swiss international could be Klopp’s secret weapon to wreak havoc.
The former Stoke City player is not getting the attention he truly deserves from the media and this has helped him score many breathtaking goals.
Having joined the Reds for a very low transfer fee, the player didn’t feel any pressure to justify his price tag, he took his time to settle down in the team.
He has scored six goals from 14 League matches( eight starts) and he’s far becoming the most underrated striker in the team and in the League.
Apart from his goalscoring form, Shaqiri’s physical appearance and strength can’t be matched by inexperienced defenders. His speed also makes him very handful for defenders — especially the slow ones.
The Gunners shouldn’t be deceived by the player’s low profile status, they must keep close watch on him so as to deny him of any space for shots or attacking runs.
The former Stoke City man is also known for his unselfish attitude which has helped him create some goals for his teammates.
He is definitely a player to watch out for in tonight’s clash at Anfield and the Gunners must be ready to keep an eye on him just as they would do to Salah, Mane and Firmino.
