Former Liverpool star Stan Collymore has said the Reds will need the Anfield crowd in their corner to get the better of Premier League leaders Arsenal this weekend.
Second-placed Liverpool will welcome league leaders Arsenal to Anfield for their Premier League Matchday 18 clash on Saturday afternoon (December 23). The Reds currently sit a point behind the Gunners, meaning a win on Saturday will take them to the top of the Premier League rankings.
Collymore Believes Anfield Factor Could Make Or Break Liverpool’s Day
In their previous Premier League outing at Anfield, Liverpool were held to a 0-0 draw by Manchester United. After the game, the Red Devils’ goalkeeper Andre Onana commented that he did not feel any pressure from the Anfield faithful. Jurgen Klopp also felt that Anfield was not at its best against United and urged them to make more noise in the Premier League bout with Arsenal.
Collymore, who spent a couple of years at Liverpool, emphasized the importance of home advantage, saying that Arsenal could very well emerge victorious if Anfield did not back its team.
In his latest CaughtOffside column, Collymore wrote:
“I thought it was really interesting to hear Jurgen Klopp talk about the atmosphere at Anfield this week and state that his team will need the Anfield crowd against Arsenal.
“The atmosphere was flat against Man United, we could all hear it, and that can happen with a lot of football being played at this time of year.”
He added:
“However, what we will see now on Saturday will be a lot different following Klopp’s comments. It wouldn’t surprise me to see a big bus welcome with flares and a very loud Anfield throughout the clash with the Premier League leaders.
“If it is a noisy, intense Anfield, I believe Liverpool will beat Arsenal; if not, I think the result could go the other way.”
What Happened The Last Time Liverpool Hosted Arsenal?
Liverpool and Arsenal shared spoils in their previous meeting at Anfield on April 9, 2023. Mikel Arteta’s men went 2-0 up inside the first 30 minutes but failed to hold on to their advantage. Mohamed Salah scored the Reds’ first goal in the 42nd minute while Roberto Firmino netted the invaluable equalizer in the 87th minute.
It will be interesting to see if Arsenal can get off to another electrifying start this Saturday.
