Havertz will ask Liverpool’s defence a lot of questions, says Mikael Silvestre

There’s a top of the table clash in the Premier League as second-placed Liverpool welcome table toppers Arsenal this Saturday. The Reds and the Gunners played out a 2-2 draw last season at the famous ground and Jurgen Klopp’s men will be looking to get three points and leapfrog the Gunners at the top of the table.

Devang Prasad talked to former Manchester United and Arsenal defender, Mikael Silvestre, who previewed the game and outlined one Arsenal player who could cause a lot of problems to Klopp’s men.

In this article:

• Liverpool will find it tough to stop Arsenal
• Key player battles
• Why Kai Havertz will be troublesome for Liverpool
• Safer gambling

Liverpool Will Have To Improve If They Want To Beat Arsenal

The Reds played out a goalless draw against arch-rivals Manchester United this past weekend. Going by that game, Silvestre feels that Klopp’s men will have to improve a lot if they want to beat an in-form Arsenal.

“If we take only the performance against Man Utd, Liverpool will have to improve, for sure, if they want to beat Arsenal.”

“It will be tough to stop Arsenal. They are full of confidence and they will create more problems for Liverpool than Man Utd. It will be more of an even game, in terms of chances created. So it will be an interesting clash for sure.”

Key Player Battles

The game is expected to be a tight one with quality players in all areas of the pitch. Silvestre, when asked which player battle will be key, couldn’t really pinpoint a specific one. He mentioned Mohamed Salah going up against Oleksandr Zinchenko but apart from that, there wasn’t any battle in particular.

“Mo Salah vs Zinchenko. That will be a key battle. But you have loads of key battles all over the pitch. It’s hard to think of one.”

Commenting on the quality of the teams, the former French international remarked that this is the second-best game in the league after Arsenal vs Man City.

“It’s probably the second best game in the Premier League now, after Arsenal-Man City. Liverpool-Arsenal is one of the best to watch this season.”

Kai Havertz Will Keep Liverpool Busy

German star Kai Havertz continued his purple patch in front of goal, scoring the Gunners’ second in their 2-0 win over Brighton on Sunday. The former Chelsea and Bayer Leverkusen man has now scored twice in his last four appearances.

Silvestre earmarks Havertz as a player who can cause problems to Liverpool, owing to his mobility which allows him to function in different positions on the pitch.

“He’s finding his marks. He’s getting more influence into the game and his end product is coming to a positive now. Scoring, assisting.”

“He’s coming back to his best so Liverpool will have to deal with him and the others. I like him. He’s floating between the lines. He can operate as a second striker. So he’s a tough one to mark because he’s very mobile and players will have to share responsibility to mark him.”

“So he’s going to ask Liverpool’s defensive players a lot of questions.”

SAFER GAMBLING

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