Arsenal eager to achieve a double victory over Liverpool

Liverpool will host Arsenal at their home ground

This weekend, the 30th round of the Premier League kicks off with the highly anticipated match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Liverpool’s home ground. The match will take place on April 9th at 23:30 Beijing time. With 72 points and one extra game, Arsenal leads Manchester City by a staggering 8 points, making their championship prospects bright. In their last 12 encounters, Liverpool has 8 wins, 2 draws, and 2 losses. Can the Reds, with the advantage of playing at home, become a roadblock in Arsenal’s quest for the title?

Liverpool is in a slump with a 4-game winless streak

Since their 7-0 victory over Manchester United at home, Liverpool’s attack has been quiet. In the four matches that followed, Salah scored only one goal, while Nunez, Jota, and others failed to find the net. The lack of firepower is partly due to the poor performance of the midfield. It’s well-known that Liverpool’s midfield has been weak this season, with key defensive midfielder Fabinho and captain Henderson both underperforming. The highly-regarded Elliot has also struggled in physical duels. As a crucial element in transitioning from defense to attack, the three most frequently fielded Liverpool midfielders have only made an average of 2.2 interceptions per game, which explains the team’s poor performance this season.

However, one reason for their recent slump is the consecutive away games they’ve had to play. This season, Liverpool has achieved 9 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss in 13 home games, only losing to Leeds United. Their efficiency in earning points at home ranks fourth in the Premier League. With 43 points, the team currently sits in 8th place in the league, and there is still a theoretical chance of finishing in the top four.

Arsenal’s winger Martinelli is in red-hot form

Since losing 3-1 to Manchester City in a rescheduled match in mid-February, Arsenal, led by Arteta, has achieved 7 consecutive Premier League victories. In their last 3 matches, they have all won by 3 goals (3-0 away to Fulham, 4-1 home against Crystal Palace, 4-1 home against Leeds United). The Gunners’ impressive form is mainly due to their fierce attacking firepower. Saka has already achieved 12 goals and 10 assists in the league. Notably, he scored twice and converted the winning penalty in the first leg against Liverpool. Martinelli has contributed 6 goals and 1 assist in the past 7 matches, and fans are delighted that Jesus, who has returned from injury, scored two goals in the last match.

It’s worth mentioning that the last time Arsenal achieved a league double over Liverpool was 13 years ago, and this Premier League round, the Gunners have a chance to challenge this feat again. The last time Arsenal managed a league double over Liverpool was in the 2009-10 season when they won both matches 1-0 and 2-1. However, since September 2012, Arsenal has not been able to achieve consecutive victories against Liverpool in two or more matches.

The main referee for this match is Paul Tierney

It’s worth mentioning that the main referee for this match is the famous Premier League referee, Paul Tierney, and his record in the past five matches officiating Arsenal is 0 wins, 0 draws, and 5 losses. This arrangement undoubtedly adds weight to this highly anticipated match. Considering the Premier League standings, if Liverpool can stop Arsenal at home in this match, the suspense for the Premier League title and the top four will become even more interesting.

Betting odds

The official betting odds for this match are set at 2.53 (win), 3.35 (draw), and 2.25 (loss), with Arsenal not receiving much support in their away match. In the score odds, a 1-1 draw has the lowest odds at 7, followed by Arsenal winning 2-1 at 8.5 and Liverpool winning 2-1 at 9. The rest of the score odds are all above 10, indicating that it’s unlikely to be a dull match.

Overall, it is difficult for Liverpool to adopt a conservative approach at Anfield, while Arsenal has endless talent in the attacking end. Both teams are set to put on a thrilling offensive feast for us. For BA88 Sports betting enthusiasts, perhaps they can have some expectations for Liverpool returning to their home ground.