Chris Sutton has predicted the outcome of this Sunday’s title clash between Arsenal and Liverpool and it’s not good reading for Gunners fans.
The two sides go head to head separated by just four points and two places in the Premier League table at the Emirates on Sunday.
For Arsenal, it’s a chance to bounce back and make a statement after their 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth last weekend.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are looking to expand theirs eight-game winning streak in all competitions.
Chris Sutton makes Arsenal vs Liverpool prediction
Arsenal must cope without suspended centre-back William Saliba – who was sent off against Bournemouth – and Martin Odegaard, while there are major doubts over the fitness of Bukayo Saka, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber.
It is for these reasons that Sutton believes Liverpool will return north with three priceless points in the bag.
“Liverpool are not helped by having to travel back from RB Leipzig on Wednesday, but Arsenal have bigger problems,” Sutton wrote in his BBC Sport prediction column, predicting a 1-0 win for Arne Slot’s men.
“Riccardo Calafiori was excellent against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday, but he came off after going down awkwardly. I was at the Emirates, and my gut feeling after seeing what happened is that he won’t be fit for Sunday.
“Arsenal already have William Saliba suspended, which is a massive loss, so they will have to reorganize at the back.
“There are rumors that Jurrien Timber might be fit to play at left-back, but if not and they go with Oleksandr Zinchenko against Mohamed Salah, you’d like Salah to take him over.
“Liverpool can exploit all that and then you think about how Arsenal are also missing players in an attacking sense.
“There is a lot of talk about whether Bukayo Saka could be fit after missing the last two games, but Martin Odegaard is still out.
“Without them, Arsenal were unconvincing in front of goal against Shakhtar. Gabriel Jesus does so many good things for the team, but I would never back him to finish.
“So I’m basing this prediction on a combination of what I saw against Shakhtar, because Arsenal were very flat everywhere, all their injury doubts and the absence of Saliba.
“If Saliba played, I wouldn’t predict a Liverpool win, but if Calafiori and Timber are not fit, I think Arsenal don’t have adequate cover.
“This would be a big win for Liverpool, and everyone is saying that with the tough run of games coming up, we will know more about them soon.
“But they have beaten Chelsea and they have enough intelligence and knowledge in their team to keep their run going.”
