Jurgen Klopp predicts Unai Emery will make two key decisions for Liverpool FC v Arsenal
Liverpool FC manager Jurgen Klopp is anticipating that Unai Emery will make two changes to the Arsenal team for their visit to Anfield
Jurgen Klopp believes Unai Emery will make two key decisions for Arsenal’s clash against Liverpool FC at Anfield on Saturday evening.
The Gunners will make the trip to the Premier League leaders as both Arsenal and Liverpool FC look to protect their perfect starts to the new season.
Arsenal were 1-0 winners against Newcastle United in their season opener before a 2-1 victory over Burnley at The Emirates last weekend.
Liverpool FC beat Norwich City 4-1 at Anfield in the season’s first game before the Reds edged to a 2-1 win at Southampton on the south coast.
Emery opted to bring on his club record signing Nicolas Pepe from the bench in both of their Premier League fixtures despite spending £71m on the winger.
Switzerland international Granit Xhaka didn’t feature against Burnley due to a leg injury that kept the former Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder on the sidelines.
However, Liverpool FC boss Klopp expects to see both Pepe and Xhaka in the Arsenal starting XI for the Premier League clash at Anfield on Saturday evening.
“Arsenal will probably change two key positions, probably Pepe will start, which will not make them weaker, and Xhaka probably,” Klopp said in his press conference on Friday. “I can’t see many other changes.
“What has happened a lot to us in the last few months or maybe years, when you’re analysing [the opposition], especially in the early stages, then they play completely different, playing build-up against everybody but not against us.
“I’m not saying Arsenal do this but it makes life analysing quite tricky, especially in the early stages of the season.
“I have no idea how [they will play against us], I know what they did in their first two games, I know what they did against us last year.
“But I don’t know more, so we have to make a couple of decisions that makes us kind of independent of what they do.
“So if we try, each result which gives us three points I’m happy with.”
Liverpool FC haven’t won the Premier League title but the Reds have finished in second place in the table in 2002, 2009, 2014 and 2018.
Klopp’s side finished a point adrift of Premier League champions Manchester City last term.
