Liverpool were hoping that Manchester City would slip up on the road against Tottenham last week to give them a little breathing room at the top of the table, but fortune did the Reds no such favors. The Citizens got a 1-0 win over Spurs, and that placed Manchester City and Liverpool dead level at 8-2-0 once more with City having a massive goal differential advantage. Now, the roles are reversed and it’s Liverpool who must not trip up against another quality team when they travel south to take on Arsenal. Dropping points here would be extremely costly in a race that’s sure to be tight throughout.
Don't miss the English Premier League action from Emirates Stadium in London at 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, November 3, 2018. Catch every moment of the match live on NBC.
EPL Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Liverpool -101
Arsenal +237
Draw +281
Over/Under 3
Odds Analysis
Arsenal saw their seven-game winning streak come to an end last week against Crystal Palace. The Gunners had done very well in the league since dropping their first two games, but their defensive injuries caught up to them against Palace. Fortunately for Arsenal fans, Palace did not make the most of their 16 shots, and they failed to score in the run of play. However, they consistently pressured the Gunners back line, and that led to two penalties that meant a 2-2 draw was the final.
The Reds have finally looked like the offensive juggernaut we saw last year over their past two games. Liverpool had only scored three goals in its previous five matches, and some were wondering whether or not this team had lost its scoring touch. However, they hammered four past Red Star Belgrade in Champions League action last Wednesday and they followed that up with another four-goal effort versus Cardiff City on Saturday. Liverpool will look to carry that form into this tilt.
Key Injuries
This is the healthiest that Liverpool have been in some time. The Reds’ lone player ruled out is long-term injury, and former Arsenal midfielder, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Aside from that, Jurgen Klopp might have his entire squad ready for selection with only two players’ statuses in doubt. Midfielders Naby Keita and Jordan Henderson are each considered questionable, and each player sat out of last week’s clash with Cardiff City.
Injuries continue to plague Arsenal, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. In just a few more weeks, center backs Laurent Koscielny and Konstantinos are expected to return from injury and that will bring stability to the middle of the defense. However, now the wing backs are battered and bruised as Nacho Monreal has continued to sit out and is questionable here, while Hector Bellerin is doubtful after picking up a knock against Palace. Midfielder Mohamed Elneny is hurt and will miss the next two weeks, while Sead Kolasinac is questionable.
Matchup to Watch
Mesut Ozil and Mo Salah are seen as two of the most gifted creators in the Premier League. Both players are considered among the best distributors in England, and they both have a knack for finding assists. Whereas Ozil is more focused on picking out an open man though, Salah has proven he can finish to. Both players have similar assist totals, but while Salah has 51 goals since coming to England, Ozil has just nine.
Prop Bet of the Game – Liverpool over 1.5 goals at -147
I’m an Arsenal supporter. I love my Gunners, but until the center backs come back, I don’t trust this team against great attacks. It’s been a while since we’ve seen Arsenal fully exposed in defense, but this will be the first team that can pick them apart since they faced Chelsea in mid-August. If Arsenal can hold Liverpool at bay, that bodes well for the rest of the year, but I doubt it.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
Take Liverpool on the three-way line here. The Reds should be able to find a lot of open space to maneuver, and they will take advantage with their clinical finishing.
English Premier League Odds: Liverpool 3 Arsenal 1
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