Liverpool vs Arsenal: Gunners legend thinks they’ll be ripped to shreds by Reds’ front three

Arsenal legend Paul Merson thinks Liverpool will rip the Gunners to shreds thanks to Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.

Speaking before the Saturday afternoon clash, the Mirror reported that Merson said that he wasn’t confident in Unai Emery’s defence against the Reds and in particular Mane, Salah and Firmino.

The 374 game playmaker referenced the ease at which Leicester City cut Arsenal apart earlier in the season and confessed that he was much more worried about the quality of Jurgen Klopp’s forward line.

“We saw Leicester rip Arsenal to shreds for 30 minutes…  (their) front three aren’t even in the same class as Liverpool’s. I just cannot see how Arsenal will live with them,” Merson exclaimed.

Hector Bellerin could be missing after picking up thigh injury, said Goal, while Granit Xhaka could be forced to continue at left-back if Nacho Monreal hasn’t returned to fitness.

And it’s mainly this twin blow that Merson is so worried about. Stephan Lichtensteiner would be the man to replace Bellerin, and there is no doubt that the 34-year-old would have his work cut out for him keeping up with Andy Robertson and Mane.

Arsenal may have just come off the back of an 11 game winning run, but Merson wasn’t even too impressed with that. According to the Sky Sports pundit, the Gunners could have come away from two or three of those games with a loss due to their shaky defending.

And while Emery may have constructed an impressive forward line, Klopp has built an even better defense. Superbly led by Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool have been thrifty all season and have only conceded four goals in 10 games.

“Liverpool’s defence has been superb. I watched Arsenal win 11 games on the trot, and they could have easily lost four of them,” concluded Mers.

The Emirates outfit may have only lost twice this campaign, but both those losses have come against top six opposition (Manchester City and Chelsea). In many ways, this is a bigger game for them than it is for the Reds.