Graeme Souness backs Liverpool to be ‘an angry team with a point to prove’ against Arsenal this weekend and believes Jurgen Klopp’s Reds will bounce back after defeat to West Ham last time out
- Liverpool face in-form Arsenal this week after losing to West Ham last time out
- Jurgen Klopp’s Reds lost 3-2 to the Hammers for their first loss of the season
- Graeme Souness backs Liverpool to come out angry and frustrated after the loss
- Arsenal have not lost in ten games but have not won at Anfield since 2012
Graeme Souness believes Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool will be an ‘angry team’ against Arsenal this weekend after the Reds lost their first game of the season last time out at West Ham.
Klopp’s side were beaten 3-2 by high-flying West Ham in their last top-flight outing, conceding two out of their three goals from corner routines, to fall four points behind league leaders Leicester City after 11 games.
Liverpool’s next challenge is a clash at home to Arsenal – who are unbeaten in the league since the end of August – and while Souness recognises the threat Mikel Arteta’s side will pose on Saturday, he believes the Reds’ frustration from their last defeat will blow the Gunners away.
Graeme Souness says an ‘angry’ Liverpool will fire themselves to a win over Arsenal this week
Jurgen Klopp’s (right) side were beaten for the first time this season by West Ham last time out
Former Liverpool boss Souness told Sky Sports’ Essential Football Podcast: ‘I think Liverpool will be the angry team having lost last time out where they were not at their normal standards.
‘So I’m expecting a full throttle Liverpool against an Arsenal team who will be turning up with a bit of confidence and I’d be cautious with that.
‘But given the teams they (Arsenal) have been playing of late, they’re not exactly top of the table teams: an average Leicester this year, a draw with Brighton, beating Watford, Norwich and beating a very poor Spurs team.
‘They’ve got some confidence from winning games and they’re sitting in a very healthy position in the league but the hard part of their season is ahead.’
The Reds face an Arsenal side (above) who are unbeaten in the league since August 28
Arsenal will look at Liverpool’s lacklustre attempts to defend set pieces at West Ham as a boost, with the Gunners the joint-highest scorers from dead ball situations this season with six since the start of the campaign.
But the north Londoners’ recent record at the home of Liverpool has been horrible of late. The Gunners have not won at Anfield since a 2-0 victory in September 2012 – a run of eight matches.
Souness believes Arsenal’s recent Anfield record will continue on Saturday afternoon, reiterating the anger that Klopp’s side will be facing from their West Ham loss.
But Souness believes a frustrated will Liverpool will come out firing against the Gunners
‘(It will go the) same way, Souness said when asked how the match will pan out given given Arsenal’s bad form at Liverpool. ‘No matter what Liverpool team play, whatever the selection is, I think Liverpool will be an angry team with a point to prove at the weekend.’
The Gunners go into the weekend two points behind Liverpool in the Premier League table – and will go into the top four should they pick up a rare Anfield victory.
Fourth-placed Liverpool, meanwhile, can jump up at least one spot on Saturday night with a win given Manchester City host Everton on Sunday, but they could rise even higher should West Ham slip up at Wolves. Leaders Chelsea travel to Leicester City in Saturday’s early kick-off.
