LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 13, 2018: Liverpool's Roberto Firmino looks dejected after missing a chance during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Firmino’s away-day Liverpool omen and chasing a best-ever start to a season

Liverpool face Arsenal at the Emirates in the Premier League on Saturday; here are the best pre-match stats as the Reds look to go top of the table.

 

Reason for confidence

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, October 27, 2018: Liverpool's manager Jürgen Klopp before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Cardiff City FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool have won three of the last four meetings and are unbeaten in the last six, winning three and drawing three.

The Reds have not gone seven unbeaten home and away against the Gunners since February 2000, when they extended that sequence to 12.

At Arsenal, Liverpool are unbeaten in three, with one win and two draws. They are looking to extend that to four for the first time since 2000 (in a run of six).

 

Expect goals

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, October 27, 2018: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring the first goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Cardiff City FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

In the last five encounters home and away, Liverpool have scored 17 times but conceded 10, with the last nine Premier League meetings producing 42 goals.

The Reds have scored seven times in the last two visits.

They have never scored more than eight in three successive league visits to Arsenal.

Liverpool have now scored three or more in five successive games against Arsenal which is a record between the clubs.

Jurgen Klopp‘s men have conceded three in each of their last two visits; they have never shipped three or more in three consecutive trips to Arsenal.

There have been 147 goals scored in the 52 meetings in the Premier League era.

 

Familiar foes

LONDON, ENGLAND - Friday, December 22, 2017: Liverpool's Sadio Mane misses a chance with an overhead kick during the FA Premier League match between Arsenal and Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Sadio Mane and Gini Wijnaldum made their Liverpool debut in the win on this ground 2 seasons ago. Mane scored.

Mane has scored in three of his last four appearances against Arsenal.

His first goal in English football was against the Gunners in Southampton‘s League Cup win at the Emirates in 2014.

Mo Salah‘s first goal in England came against Arsenal as a substitute as Chelsea won 6-0 at Stamford Bridge. He scored in both fixtures against the Londoners last season.

 

Bobby’s Omen

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, September 18, 2018: Liverpool's Roberto Firmino celebrates scoring the third goal during the UEFA Champions League Group C match between Liverpool FC and Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool have never lost any of the 21 away matches, in all competitions, in which Roberto Firmino has scored (18 wins, three draws).

Firmino has scored in each of Liverpool’s last three fixtures against Arsenal. No player has ever netted in four in succession for the club against the Gunners.

The Brazilian has five goals in six games against today’s opponents. He has scored more for the Reds against Arsenal (and Swansea also) than he has against any other club.

 

Reds’ great run

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 22, 2018: Liverpool's Xherdan Shaqiri (#23) celebrates with team-mates Georginio Wijnaldum (left) and Sadio Mane (right) after creating the first goal, an own goal by Wesley Hoedt, during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield. (Pic by Jon Super/Propaganda)

The Reds are unbeaten in the last 11 league games including the final match of last season, while they have lost only three of the last 39 in the top-flight.

Away from home Liverpool have lost just one of the last nine in the league, at Chelsea back in May, and just three of the last 19 on the road.

Having already won at Tottenham this season the Reds could record victories at both North London giants in the same league campaign for the first time since 1996/97.

A win today will see Liverpool record their best ever start to a Premier League season after 11 games (they currently have 26 points from 10). They picked up 27 points from their opening 11 matches of the 2002-03 campaign.

 

Tight at the back

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, October 24, 2018: Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker celebrates the second goal during the UEFA Champions League Group C match between Liverpool FC and FK Crvena zvezda (Red Star Belgrade) at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool have kept 10 clean sheets in the last 16 league games and have conceded only 5 goals in their last 13 top-flight matches.

The only team in the last 18 league fixtures to score more than once in a game against the Reds was West Brom in a 2-2 draw in April.

 

Changes at Arsenal

Unai Emery (PA Images)

This will be the first time in 54 encounters between the clubs that Arsene Wenger will not be occupying one of the dug-outs.

Unai Emery, on his 47th birthday, will take charge of a team against the Reds for only the second time. He led Sevilla to a 3-1 win in the Europa League final of 2016 to lift the trophy for a third successive season.

The Gunners go into this game on the back of a 13 game unbeaten run in all competitions, winning 12 and drawing the other.

Four of Arsenal‘s eight Premier League defeats by a margin of four or more have come against Liverpool (all at Anfield).

This season they have yet to lead at half-time of any league game despite having won seven of their 10 fixtures.

 

Scorers this season

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, September 18, 2018: Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge (centre) celebrates scoring the first goal with team-mates Georginio Wijnaldum (left) and Sadio Mane (right)during the UEFA Champions League Group C match between Liverpool FC and Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool: Mane 7, Salah 7, Firmino 4, Sturridge 4, Milner 2, Matip 1, Shaqiri 1, Wijnaldum 1, own goals 1.

Arsenal: Aubameyang 9, Lacazette 5, Welbeck 5, Ozil 4, Smith-Rowe 2, Xhaka 2, Guendouzi 1, Iwobi 1, Lichtsteiner 1, Monreal 1, Mkhitaryan 1, Mustafi 1, Papastathopoulos 1, Ramsey 1, own goals 2.

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