Arsenal will be eager to get a win over Liverpool on match day nine to keep up with the Premier League title race.
After eight games played, Arsenal sit fourth in the table behind Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa.
The games that unfolded ahead of the Gunners’ clash with Liverpool saw the pressure mount in the title race, as both Villa and Man City won.
Pep Guardiola’s champions beat Southampton 1-0 at the Etihad to move to the top of the table, extending their lead on Arsenal to six points already.
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As the champions welcomed newly promoted Southampton to Manchester, there were many expecting Guardiola’s side to boost their goal difference significantly.
Instead, the Saints remained strong and kept City at bay but, like many teams in the top-flight, were unable to contain Erling Haaland.
After City’s win, Guardiola stressed the importance of the Norwegian, noting that City created plenty of chances but only managed to score once.
“Today we created chances and we could have scored two or three goals, the expected goals is much better,” Guardiola said, via Man City’s official website.
“Many times it happened. It’s not the first time that thanks to Erling we won the game, I would say he scored the goal to win the game. It was important at the start.”
The Spaniard emphasised the requirement to have a player capable of scoring when others can’t, something that should alarm Mikel Arteta as his Arsenal side are missing that figure.
City won the game because of Haaland, something the Gunners were unable to do last time out against Bournemouth, where crucial chances were squandered.
Arsenal can’t afford to lose to Liverpool
It’s been a running theme that Arsenal need a reliable number nine, with no replacement found for former club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The North Londoners signed Gabriel Jesus from City in 2022 however, it’s quickly become apparent why the Brazilian was pushed out of Guardiola’s XI.
| Erling Haaland | Gabriel Jesus | |
| 2022/23 | 52 | 11 |
| 2023/24 | 38 | 8 |
| 2024/25 | 14 | 0 |
The hope will be that for all the warning Edu and Arteta have had regarding Arsenal’s missing number nine, the Gunners don’t miss out on the title due to a lack of presence going forward.
Sunday afternoon’s meeting with Liverpool is a must-win, as a draw would result in Arsenal being five points behind the Reds and seven points behind if they suffer defeat.
It would be a major concern in Arteta’s title hopes to be so far behind the top two so early into the season, adding emphasis to the need to make chances count and win against Arne Slot’s side.
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