Sports Blog 24/08/2015: Match Preview – Arsenal vs Liverpool, Monday 24th August 2015

It’s the first big test of the season for both Arsenal and Liverpool this Monday, at they face each other at the Emirates Stadium at 8pm on Sky Sports 1.

Whilst on paper Liverpool have gotten off to a much better start than the Gunners, neither side has truly impressed in the first 2 games of the season, and will both see Monday’s game as an opportunity to send a statement of intent going forwards.



A wounded Arsenal visited Crystal Palace last weekend for their first away game of the season, with the full-return of Alexis Sanchez (who goes into Monday’s game with a Super Mega PGM spread of 31-37) creating a more spirited performance from the Gunners, especially when compared to their lifeless opening game against West Ham. A scintillating scissor kick from Olivier Giroud in the 16th minute opened proceedings, leaving the Frenchman as 9/2 fixed odds favourite to score first on Monday night, before Joel Ward equalised for the home side 12 minutes later. After mounting pressure in the second half a 55th minute own goal from Damian Delaney sealed Palace’s fate, giving Arsenal an ugly, if deserved, first win of the 2015/16 Premier League season.

Liverpool, on the other hand, had already got 3 points under their belt when they hosted league newbies Bournemouth, with their 1-0 over Stoke on the opening weekend easing the Reds into the new season. Frustratingly for Brendan Rogers, however, a controversial 1-0 win was all Liverpool could muster. On the positive side the game saw Christian Benteke (at 16/1 to be top scorer by the end of the season) officially open his scorebook for Liverpool, with the Belgian’s 26th minute goal enough to give the Reds all 3 points. On the downside, Benteke’s goal was arguably offside, and if it wasn’t for a dubious call by referee Craig Paulson ruling out Tommy Elphick’s early header Liverpool could have limped off with a solitary point.



So, for both sides there is still everything to prove this evening, with Monday’s game kicking off a tough string of fixtures for both teams. Games against Man United, Everton, Tottenham, Southampton, Chelsea and Man City comprise 6 of Liverpool’s next 10 matches, whilst Arsenal have a similarly difficult run over the next few weeks, facing bogey team Stoke, Chelsea and United across September and the start of October. Our Spreadex traders are still fancying Arsenal in the long run, at a Season Points spread of 76.5-78 to Liverpool’s 67-68.5 and at 9/2 fixed odds to win the league compared to the Reds’ 20/1.

Still, Liverpool have managed 2 clean sheets whilst supposed Arsenal saviour Petr Cech has conceded 3 goals in his first 2 games. Both of those things could change on Monday, however; in their last 4 head-to-heads 18 goals have been scored in total, the most recent being Arsenal’s 4-1 victory at the Emirates in April. This helps leave the Gunners as favourite for Monday’s game, with Wenger’s side expected to get their first home win of the season at an Arsenal/Liverpool Goal Supremacy spread of 0.75-0.95 alongside a Total Goals spread of 2.7-2.9.