Liverpool has exceeded expectations by topping the Premier League table at the halfway mark of the season but Manchester City will be optimistic of getting back into the title fight after Arsenal slipped up this month.
Despite seeing its midfield gutted in the close season, Juergen Klopp’s Liverpool has turned things around with a quick rebuild and lost only one game this season -- a defeat at Tottenham Hotspur marred by a VAR controversy.
ACES POPULAR CHOICE AWARDS | VOTING OPEN NOW - Click here to vote!
Liverpool has also managed to survive an injury crisis to top the league with the best defensive record but Klopp is not resting on his laurels yet, especially with top scorer Mohamed Salah off to the Africa Cup of Nations next month.
“We had a lot of injuries, some players not involved once who are key players for us. Both left backs aren’t in, which is really not good,” Klopp said.
“But we found a way to the next game and found a way to compete. It all starts with defending - we don’t concede all the time so we don’t get desperate.
“So far it’s ok. Better to be first than sixth.”
Klopp’s side host a struggling, ninth-placed Newcastle United which has won just one of its last seven games in all competitions, with Eddie Howe’s team also contending with several injuries.
ALSO READ | Howe has no spending guarantee despite Newcastle slump
Newcastle has not beaten Liverpool since 2015 and has lost the last five encounters.
“We’ve had a couple of painful games against Liverpool but the positives from both of those games is that we’ve performed really well and we were competitive. We need to be near perfect in this game,” Howe said.
LACK OF GOALS
Arsenal was top at Christmas for a second straight season but lost the opportunity to leapfrog leaders Liverpool when it fell at home to West Ham United on Thursday, five days after a draw at Anfield.
Mikel Arteta’s side has won only one of its last four games to drop to second and a key factor for its struggles is goals drying up for its front three -- Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.
The trio has only three goals between them in the last five league games despite Arsenal creating numerous chances, especially at home.
“This is football, when the team generates that much normally you are going to win games,” Arteta said.
“That’s the way we’ve done it. Against Brighton, we generated so much, against Liverpool as well. But we score goals in different ways and we have to make another step in that area to win the game more comfortably.”
ALSO READ | Madueke’s late penalty hands Chelsea 2-1 win over Crystal Palace
Itsr poor form gives newly-crowned world champions City -- which has a game in hand -- the chance to move up level with Arsenal when it hosts bottom side Sheffield United on Saturday.
City are unbeaten at the Etihad in 19 games and though the last three have been draws, they has a 100 per cent record against the Blades in six matches.
Third-placed Aston Villa is the surprise package of the season and Unai Emery’s side faces relegation-threatened Burnley while fifth-placed Spurs host a resurgent Bournemouth which has 19 points from its last seven games.
Manchester United will also look to get its season back on track when it travel to Nottingham Forest, where new boss Nuno Espirito Santo had an almost immediate impact when it beat Newcastle 3-1 at St. James’ Park earlier this week.
Comments
SHARE