Liverpool will humble Arsenal on Monday night.
The hype surrounding Arsenal right now is intense. A FA Cup and a penalty shoot-out victory over Liverpool in the Community Shield have been followed by two wins from two in the Premier League. Gunners fans can sense something big brewing.
Of course, there is no doubt that strides are being made at the North London club under new coach Mikel Arteta. When the Spaniard took over from Unai Emery, Arsenal were on a downward slide and few people predicted that he would be able to make such a positive influence in such a short amount of time.
They look far more compact defensively, while being as dangerous as always on the break. It’s a system and a newfound unity that has toppled Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola in recent months.
That’s Premier League winning form, but is the hype really warranted?
Anyone who saw their 2-1 win over West Ham last week will realise that there is a lot for Arsenal to work on and if Liverpool are on full tilt it could be a long, depressing trip home to London.
Having played Arsenal twice in recent months we already know exactly what to expect. They will sit in a deep defensive block and look to frustrate us, inviting us to commit men forward as we search for a way through.
This will leave Trent Alexander-Arnold high up the pitch and allow Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to drift into some open space on the left-hand side. Arsenal will look to hit him and hit him early in a similar tactic used by Chelsea against us last week.
It’s a cute idea, however, there’s something about the Liverpool squad and Klopp this season that I haven’t seen at the club since the late ’80s and it’s something that has shocked opposing clubs and fans.
We are the Champions of England and this has bred a ruthlessness in our play that saw us toy with Chelsea for 90 minutes and rip apart a lowly Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup.
Add to that the class and winning mentality of Thiago Alcantara and you just feel that Arsenal are about to learn exactly where they stand in English football and how far they still have to go in their current re-build.