TWO comprehensive victories in different competitions and a kind Champions League draw have eased the pressure on Arsene Wenger and Arsenal. But another defeat at Liverpool today in the English Premier League could have the sharks circling again.
Last February, the Gunners suffered a disastrous 5-1 thrashing at Anfield. In four away trips to fellow title contenders in the 2013-2014 campaign, they were beaten four times and conceded 20 goals.
This season, they’ve fared only marginally better against top-half opposition. In games against Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton, they’ve earned only five points out of a possible 15.
And yet, they entered the weekend just two points outside the top-four.
That’s because Arsenal continue to be the football equivalent of cricket’s flat-track bully: the team who punish the weaker clubs while struggling against opponents of higher quality — and in the case of Stoke City who beat them on Dec 6 — greater physicality.
The UEFA Champions League quarter-final draw that paired them with AS Monaco during the week was a gift from heaven. Wenger’s former club are the kind of side that the pretty passers of the Emirates Stadium usually run rings around. In their last two outings, Arsenal have secured 4-1 wins against Galatasaray (Champions League, away) and Newcastle United (English Premier League, home).
But the trip to Merseyside is one fraught with danger for the Londoners.
Given Liverpool’s awful league record this season — more losses than wins in 16 games to sit in the bottom half of the table and without strikers Daniel Sturridge (injured) and Mario Balotelli (suspended) — Arsenal should rightly start as strong favourites.
Yet, this could be the day when it all clicks for Brendan Rodgers’ side. They’re coming off a morale-boosting League Cup victory at Bournemouth that takes them into semi-finals. Raheem Sterling is finding form and confidence again.
The loss of Balotelli is unfortunate, even though his Liverpool record so far has been abject. The Italian has taken 42 shots in his 10 league games, without scoring.
In 12 league games before Christmas last season, his predecessor Luis Suarez had bagged 19 goals, which gives you an idea of what the Reds are missing, with the Uruguayan now at Barcelona.
Suarez didn’t score in the 5-1 defeat of the Gunners last February, but played an important role as the Reds netted four times in the first 19 minutes.
Sterling grabbed a brace in the last meeting at Anfield and is the kind of player that could add to the worry lines on the Professor’s face today.
Arsenal need to be cautious on their trip to England’s North-West. It is better to settle for a point, or win ugly, rather than be too open and expose themselves to the kind of road trip beatings they suffered all too often last season.
For a change, Wenger needs to show Jose Mourinho-like pragmatism instead of his usual lofty ideals of attractive football. By avoiding another away mishap, the Frenchman will save himself a lot of stress this Christmas.
* Jason Dasey is Senior Editor of ESPN FC, Malaysia's number-one football website which has launched a Southeast Asian edition. Twitter: @ESPNFC