BBC pundit Chris Sutton is taking on Ski Sunday presenter Ed Leigh for this weekend’s Premier League predictions.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-1
Liverpool look in great shape at the moment. They really impressed me against Chelsea, and they have still got Mohamed Salah to come back from the injury he picked up at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson both came off the bench on Wednesday as they return to full fitness and, without those three players, the Reds have shown they have still got the strength in depth they will need in the run-in.
There were loads of other positives, too. I know Darwin Nunez did not score, but he still carried a massive threat and did a lot of good things. Then you have got Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota looking sharp, and Liverpool’s midfield were excellent as well.
Arsenal, on the other hand, did not really fire against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday but they still got the job done, which is the important thing.
We’ve already seen how close it is between these two sides when they have met before this season, and the Gunners missed a load of chances when Liverpool came to the Emirates and won in the FA Cup last month.
Mikel Arteta’s side still do not have a centre-forward but, this time, I think they will finish some of the opportunities they create.
I am still not entirely sure why I am going with Arsenal to win this game, because Liverpool will score too, but the Gunners definitely need the points more and I think they will just about do enough to get them.
Ed’s prediction: 1-3
I am expecting a really entertaining game.
This is our third meeting in the past six weeks and we haven’t lost either of the previous two, so I will be fascinated to see how we approach it.
I feel that games like this, against other teams in the top three or four, are the only times where Klopp sets up conservatively but I wonder if he will do that here, given the way we are playing and the players he has got back from injury. That should give him a lot more confidence in the depth of his squad, and I think Arsenal will be a little bit scared of us.
It is going to be close, but as a fan I am going to back us.
Read the full predictions here
