One Liverpool player might be having sleepless nights as Arsenal’s visit to Anfield grows closer.
Like Arsenal, the champions have maintained an unbeaten start to the season, but, unlike the Gunners, there have been real defensive frailties on show.
Already, Liverpool have conceded four goals, with only newly-promoted Leeds United and early relegation candidates Wolves and West Ham leaking more.
Arsenal, on the other hand, have been defending and scoring freely, netting six and are yet to concede, but can their record be upheld at Anfield?
Arsenal must expose Ibrahima Konate
More than anything, Arsenal will be wary of Liverpool’s attack; however, a thought will be given to how the Gunners can get under the skin of Arne Slot’s side.
Liverpool’s defence looked very disjointed at St James’ Park as concerns were raised about Milos Kerkez on the left side.
It’s not only on the left that Slot’s back four looked weak, but centrally too, as Ibrahima Konate had a night to forget.
The panel of ESPN FC dissected Liverpool’s win, where attention was drawn to Konate’s frailties.
“Konate never won a header; he was very shaky in the Bournemouth game, the Semenyo goal,” Don Hutchinson said.
Host Dan Thomas responded, “Should he have started him then?”
Then, pundit Steve Nicol butted in to say, “There’s no one else,” which is a real concern for Liverpool.
50% of Liverpool’s defence has been poor since the opening day, giving Arsenal some direction about where to exploit their title rivals on Sunday.
Gabriel Magalhaes will love what Jamie Carragher said about Konate
Virgil van Dijk was disappointed by how Liverpool defended set pieces, which will be music to one Arsenal player’s ears.
The Reds were beaten in the air by Bruno Guimaraes’ five-foot-nine stature, something that Gabriel Magalhaes would’ve loved to have seen.
Gabriel is dangerous from set-play, as are Arsenal, whose set-piece success has been branded ‘ridiculous’.
Based on how the season has started for Liverpool’s defence, particularly Konate, Gabriel will be desperate to threaten in the box at Anfield.
After the action at St James’ Park, Jamie Carragher accused Konate on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football of being ‘all over the place’.
“Konate is another one. He has been all over the place. You want your centre-back to go and win that header [for Newcastle‘s second goal]. He’s going backward, but he still should deal with that.”
Arsenal have all the evidence needed that they can go and cause problems at Anfield, in what is a mammoth game on match day three.
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