Sunday, December 22, 2024

Sutton’s predictions: Arsenal v Liverpool

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[BBC]

Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.

For week nine he takes on rapper Nemzzz, who supports Manchester United.

Sutton’s prediction: 0-1

Liverpool are not helped by having to travel back from RB Leipzig on Wednesday, but Arsenal have bigger problems.

Riccardo Calafiori was excellent against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday but he came off after falling awkwardly. I was at the Emirates and my hunch from seeing what happened is that he will not be fit for Sunday.

Arsenal already have William Saliba suspended, which is a massive loss, so they will have to reshuffle at the back.

There are rumours that Jurrien Timber could be fit to play at left-back, but if not and they go with Oleksandr Zinchenko against Mohamed Salah, you would fancy Salah to get the better of him.

Liverpool can exploit all of this and then you think about how Arsenal are missing players in an attacking sense too.

There’s a lot of talk about whether Bukayo Saka might be fit after missing the past two matches, 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 you would never back him to finish.

So I am basing this prediction on a combination of what I saw against Shakhtar -because Arsenal were really flat all round – all their injury doubts and Saliba’s absence.

If Saliba was playing, I wouldn’t be predicting a Liverpool win, but if Calafiori and Timber are not fit I don’t feel Arsenal have adequate cover.

This would be a huge win for Liverpool, and everyone is saying that, with the run of tough games they have coming up, we will find out more about them soon.

But they have beaten Chelsea and have enough nous and knowledge in their team to keep their good run going.

I know everyone reading this will go for a 1-1 draw, but I don’t like to sit on the fence for big games like this, and neither should you.

Nemzzz’s prediction: 2-3

I don’t like either of these teams. I want to say Arsenal will win but Liverpool are top and playing really well.

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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