Arsenal head to Anfield on Sunday and, in seasons gone by, the trip would be met with a sense of dread.
The Gunners have a miserable record at Liverpool, having not won a Premier League game there since 2012. This weekend, however, Mikel Arteta’s side should travel optimistic that they can maintain their eight-point lead at the top of the table.
Arsenal boast the best away record in the League this season by some distance. They have taken 34 points from 14 games, which is seven more than the second-best team (Manchester City).
They have conceded just nine goals and kept nine clean sheets on the road. At home, they have conceded 18 and kept only three clean sheets. It is an incredible transformation from a side who had the sixth best away record last year and lost nine of their 19 games on the road.
There has not been a massive overhaul of how Arsenal prepare for away games this season. Instead, the feeling at the club is that processes put in place in the past are finally bearing fruit.
Arsenal always travel up the day before a game and stay overnight at a hotel, and a key part of their preparations is having a meal as a group the night before. Arteta likes players and staff to rotate who they sit with for meals.
Now, they do so naturally, but initially this was often organised. On the pre-season tour to the USA this summer, at a staff meal, one player was sat next to a member of the security team.
Arteta likes to keep players stimulated at the hotel, organising games for them. These are often mental-based, with a popular one this season being spot the difference taking place on TV screens at the end of team meetings.
On the morning of a match, the squad go for a walk. Unity is a key part of Arteta’s philosophy and it is one of the words he has put on posters that he now takes into away dressing rooms.
Unity is a key part of Arteta’s philosophy and it is one of the words he has put on posters that he now takes into away dressing rooms
It was an initiative brought in during the middle of last season, after Arteta consulted a psychologist. At Fulham last month, the Gunners took it a step further and brought a replica of the famous Arsenal clock. Some of the posters are pictures of the squad, the club crest or just buzz words like ‘basics’ and ‘together’.
Two of the main posters, though, are ‘identity’ and ‘unity’, with the words then broken down’ so each letter corresponds to one of Arteta’s values. ‘Identity’ breaks down to read intensity, discipline, enjoy, non-negotiables, trust, improve, team and you. ‘Unity’ stands for unique, non-negotiables, identity, tradition and you.
Results would suggest it is working, however the run-in will be a true test of Arsenal’s strength on the road. As well as Anfield, the Gunners still have to travel to the Etihad and St James’ Park. Liverpool have struggled this season, but remain a force at home, having lost only once there in the League.
Arsenal’s challenge will be greater, as centre-back William Saliba is expected to miss the game with a back injury. Rob Holding is likely to start for the third game in a row. He has done well so far, but keeping Liverpool’s forward line quiet will be his toughest assignment.
Beating Liverpool would be a statement result and one that would fill Arsenal with belief. They have waited 11 years for a win at Anfield, but 19 for a League title.
