Arsenal v Liverpool: Key battles

Here are three key battles which will decide the game.

NACHO MONREAL VS MOHAMED SALAH

Nacho Monreal’s ability to cope with Mohamed Salah – especially when Liverpool counter – may be the defining battle of the match. Salah is, of course, the top scorer in the Premier League this season, and Arsenal’s tendency to overload in attack would play right into the hands of the Egyptian and his teammates.

Monreal’s defensive nous is the safeguard against that outcome. Arsene Wenger has reverted to his traditional back four recently, and, more surprisingly, has seemingly dropped Sead Kolasinac – he hasn’t started the last two Premier League games, but did start midweek in the Carabao Cup – which likely means that Monreal will be restored to his old starting left-back position.

In a battle of pure pace, Salah wins easily. But Monreal has developed into an intelligent, tactically astute defender, and the Liverpool forward will find besting him a genuine challenge. What could truly turn this battle is the help on offer to both – if Monreal’s defensive colleagues are overwhelmed by the rest of Liverpool’s attack, there’s little he’ll be able to do to stop Salah.

MESUT OZIL VS JORDAN HENDERSON

Last month’s display against Tottenham silenced the critics who said Mesut Ozil never plays his best in the big games. The German has been in a rich vein of form and will look to produce another high-class performance against big-name opposition. Meanwhile, Jordan Henderson has been dealing with his own fair share of criticism lately, as his form has dropped off, and coming up against an in-form Ozil is going to test his credentials.

Liverpool’s high-octane attack means Henderson is usually the midfielder with the most defensive responsibility, especially if Philippe Coutinho plays in midfield. Henderson’s value, defensively, is usually in leading the press, but he’s also going to have to track Ozil’s movement and cut out the German’s attempts to find his fellow forwards.

Ozil will fancy his chances, given both his form and Henderson’s, to take advantage of space and do what he does best in setting up Arsenal attacks. It’s up to the Englishman to show he can handle the challenge.

GRANIT XHAKA VS PHILIPPE COUTINHO

The Ozil-Henderson battle in the opposite direction will see Granit Xhaka have to pay attention to Coutinho. The Brazilian is nearing top form at the moment, and Xhaka has repeatedly been caught out defensively. If that happens again, Coutinho will run riot.

Xhaka was brought in to be a midfield enforcer, but while he’s more than capable of dishing out some heavy tackles, the discipline required to be a holding midfielder hasn’t always been apparent. He’s often too far forward, and although that allows him to be a genuine threat in Arsenal’s attack – something Coutinho may have to watch out for – it also is one of the biggest reasons Arsenal are so vulnerable on the counter.

The difference in the two players’ roles is that because Coutinho is by default an attacking player, there are others in his side who are expected to cover for him – and thus, it will fall to his teammates to contain Xhaka’s attacking threat. On the other hand, Xhaka is supposed to be one of the players providing cover for his more attacking teammates. If he doesn’t stick to that role as often as possible on Friday, Coutinho will run circles around him and Liverpool will have the edge.