Arsenal face off against Liverpool on Sunday in yet another big test of their possible Premier League title credentials this season. The Gunners currently sit top of the table with seven wins from their opening eight games, but in the Reds, they face a side that knows what it takes to win the league in recent years.
They haven't had an ideal start this term, though, sitting ninth with just two wins from their first seven games of the season - having played one less due to a rescheduled fixture against Chelsea. Opposition manager Jurgen Klopp heaped praise on the work done by Mikel Arteta before the game, saying: "All my respect, wow! Really good job from Mikel.
"When you need time, nobody wants to give you it. I have to say, a lot of respect. A lot of talent...Martinelli, I was excited about him early. Odegaard, I spoke to him at 15 in Norway with his dad. Saka...ooof. And Gabriel Jesus, Mikel could see how good he could be not in a Man City shirt. Thomas Partey, everyone saw how good he was at Atletico Madrid. Lots of quality. A young, exciting team doing really well. Now we go there, and we don't think about [past results]."
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Plenty of questions have been raised about Liverpool's form this season, leading to Klopp changing his formation to play a 4-2-3-1 instead of his usual 4-3-3. The German coach has looked to give extra protection to his side in transition while also adjusting the positioning of Trent Alexander-Arnold to play him slightly deeper than usual.
While the visitors may have made changes of their own, Arteta could look to make some tweaks that he trialled against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League. Striker Eddie Nketiah was given a start, having struggled to break into the team so far, and he impressed with his goal and overall work rate.
Later in the game, he was joined by Gabriel Jesus from the bench, who used his versatility to play on the left of the front three, though slightly closer to his strike partner than someone like Gabriel Martinelli, who hugs the touchline before cutting in. The substitute paid off, too, with his dancing feet evading defenders before setting up Fabio Vieira for the third goal.
His trickery and skill could cause havoc on the left up against Alexander-Arnold, while Nketiah could be the presence in the box they need compared to his teammates drifting style in games. It remains to be seen if Arteta will make that bold call, but it could be a secret weapon to beat the travelling side.
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