Liverpool vs Arsenal Betting tips

March 30, 2007 - Ian Ross

(Credit: A. Fettes)

The best game of the weekend in the Premiership by a country mile is the lunchtime clash between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield, a match which could decide who finishes third in the table come season end.

The Gunners are currently a point ahead of the Merseysiders in third place with a game in hand, but their squad has been marred by injuries, particularly that to Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie, and the absence of such key players will inevitable take its toll as the season draws to a close.

The Reds are bidding for a third successive home league victory over Arsene Wenger’s men, and they won this corresponding fixture 2-1 last term. However, the north London side have beaten Pool in all three of their encounters during the current campaign, prevailing 3-0 at Highbury in the Premiership before knocking Rafa’s charges out of both the Carling and FA Cup’s within the space of three days.

Quite whether those three hammerings will impair Liverpool psychologically is anybody’s guess, but the fact that the Gunners beat them with such consummate ease in two cup ties at Anfield, despite fielding an under-strength side on each occasion, will surely be in the back of the mind of the hosts.

Furthermore, despite qualifying for the quarter-final of the Champions League with an unlikely verdict over reigning champions Barcelona, Benitez has seen his side surrender their 17-month unbeaten record at home in the league at the hands of Manchester United, and overall they’ve failed to score in their last three matches.

Arsenal’s most recent match was a visit to the Red’s neighbours, Everton, and the team bus south-bound after the game wouldn’t have been a very jovial one after an Andy Johnson injury-time strike sealed three points for the home side. But it is 15 matches since Arsenal lost consecutive Premiership fixtures, so the stats argue that they should bounce back on Saturday.

But from a betting perspective I reckon the way to go is to opt for 0-1 in the total goals market at 2/1 with Ladbrokes. Fact is, Pool don’t concede that many at home, while Arsenal don’t score a great deal on their travels in the league, and this looks poised to be a tight affair, with both sides mindful of the attacking threat posed at the opposite end.

As the cup ties between these sides demonstrated earlier in the season, there are potential goals when Liverpool and Arsenal lock horns. But this match will be altogether different, in as much that it will be more of a tactical affair.

Verdict - 2pts 0-1 in the total goals market @ 2/1 (Ladbrokes)