Arsenal in early showdown at Anfield
Come Sunday it is going to be the real Premier League take off.
Unusual for the League it is that just in the third week comes an early face off between the title holders and the ones aspiring to take them down from the glorious perch.
Anfield is the arena, The fortress that stands tall , defended by all and sundry in Red is sure to be a smouldering cauldron this Sunday evening. An away game against Liverpool has always been the toughest journey for most clubs. Even when Liverpool were not winning the League, the fixture at Anfield was never easy.
Liverpool has put on some more muscle in the transfer window
Liverpool have spent big and look stronger with some real stars from the Bundesliga coming over to wear the red jersey. The likes of Florian Wirtz, Frimpong and Hugo Ekitike added to the squad leaves Arne Slot spoilt for choices. The appetite that the Premier League win has induced is just unbelievable. While Luiz will be missed and Jota fondly remembered, the mascot Salah is expected to lead the charge with Cody Gakpo being the trusted aide to Salah. The most glaring absence will be Trent Alexander who is now a part of Los Blancos.
If that wasn’t all , a certain Alexander Isak is risking his is career with a tools-down strike ready to take the M6 motorway from Newcastle and then the M62 or M56 to reach Liverpool. If it happens it could be a record singing amount and Liverpool will have firepower that can blow anything away.
Arsenal loosen their purse strings in search of team depth
The visitors this Sunday have a dream too. The Arsenal team and its supporters have been the bridesmaid for a few years now, and patience is wearing thin. Their transfer window has been equally impressive. The choices have been apt and have addressed the issues they have had, namely depth and squad and firepower upfront.
The effervescent Viktor Gyokeres, after having done training strikes himself, has come over to North London. The Crystal Palace talisman Eberichi Eze returns to his childhood club, and the Gunners have brought in Madueke from their now favorite trading partners, Chelsea. This strengthens the forward line and also adds depth. The long season will need some depth, and the Gunners seem to have got it in their squad now.
In what could be the signing of the season, the understated Martin Zubimendi deal would mean a sure upgrade in the midfield. The two Christians, the experienced Christian Nørgaard and the young Christian Mosquera, have been real steal deals. The Gunners are pulling out all the stops and might even sign another young defender, Piero Hincapie, before this month runs out.
All in all both the Reds and the Red-and-Whites have splurged over the last few months and now it is showtime.
Will Arsenal win against Liverpool and make a statement.
This is a real matchup, one that could be a defining moment. A possibility of one of these teams being ahead of the other by three points a few months down the line makes this Anfield battle even more interesting. Well, it may be too early to be so worked up, but then who cares? This is what represents the League.
Fierce, fast, and physical—a contest too close to call. But if it’s too close to call, then let’s call it anyway.
Based on preseason glimpses and the opening two fixtures, the evidence is thin. Only when you begin to split hairs does a picture start to emerge.
Liverpool remains a team in transition. Wirtz is still finding his rhythm, while Ekitike has made an immediate impact. Alexis Mac Allister’s injury is a setback, Dominic Szoboszlai, meanwhile, is carrying the load, juggling multiple roles with grit and versatility.
Van Dijk continues to anchor the backline with his trademark composure, but Konaté appears unsettled—his positioning uncertain, his decision-making hesitant. There’s a lingering sense of fragility in Liverpool’s defensive setup, and until the pieces click, questions will persist.
All this has meant that Liverpool have already conceded 4 goals and had to score 7 to win the two matches. Both the matches could have gone either way. Bournemouth, despite the scare they gave the Reds, were probably second best, but just. Newcastle had ten men and was probably just unlucky to lose. Liverpool’s unsettled defensive shape and below-par form in the midfield might be their Achilles’ heel.
On the other hand, Arsenal are looking better than last year in terms of the team squad. Gyokeres has already gotten into the score sheet, and Madueke and Eze offer great depth and cover up for injuries. The midfield is a definite upgrade, and Zubimendi in the role of the conductor of the orchestra might be a revelation. The set piece pranks they play are still working and are a great added weapon.
The defence looks rock solid , it was the best in the league last year and looks like it is this year too. It will take some doing to get the goals in past the backline, and that one has to believe is the slight difference that will end up in an Arsenal win. Last year , Liverpool came from two goals down to escape with a draw. This year may be a bit different.
To keep the hypothesis simple – Liverpool are conceding, and the Arsenal’s defence isn’t.
But then Anfield is Anfield, it is defended by the Reds at all costs.
Someone blow the whistle and let the madness begin.
