Liverpool FC manager Brendan Rodgers feels that a win at the Emirates on Monday could help the Anfield side have a psychological advantage over their rivals in the fight for Top 4.
Liverpool FC are currently unbeaten, having won both their opening two games by a slender margin of one goal and are scheduled to travel to North London where they take on Arsenal FC. The Reds have struggled to hit top form, with new signings taking time to adjust to the club’s style and tempo. However, this has not stopped them from winning the opening two fixtures. They managed to scrape through the opening day clash against Stoke City and would have been looking at a dull draw, if not for Philippe Coutinho and his brilliant strike.
Two contentious decisions helped the Anfield outfit win their first home game of the season against AFC Bournemouth that saw Benteke being awarded a goal on his home debut.
We’ll arrive into the game with confidence – Rodgers
Brendan Rodgers acknowledged the quality in Arsenal FC’s side while insisting that a win in a top of the table clash is always good for the team, psychologically. Speaking in his pre-match press conference, as quoted by the . club’s official website, he said,
“No matter when these games come in the season they’re always good for the psychological effect.”
“Of course, we’ve got tough games [coming up] away from home but we’ll arrive into the game with confidence.”
“We know they’re an outstanding group of players with some quality individual players but there’s a real focus in this group for this season, a real toughness mentally.”
“And we know we’ve got that ability to scrap and to fight to get a result, as well as play good football.”
“So if we can go there and perform like we think we can and have that game-plan, we’re confident that we can get a result.”
Rodgers ready to abandon possession football for win in big games
The Northern Irishman also provided an insight into Arsenal FC’s style of play and their frailties while playing at home. Rodgers felt that Liverpool FC have always dominated the Gunners in terms of possession, especially at home. He also said that apart from dominating the ball, the Reds must also dominate space as is exploited by some of the Arsenal FC players, in order to stop Arsene Wenger’s men.
“If you assess the games we’ve had against Arsenal, we’ve always had, especially at home, dominance of the ball.”
“If you look at Arsenal’s last 10 games that they’ve lost at home, the teams that have won there have had dangerous possession.”
“The teams that have been there have only averaged around four shots on target and with 43 per cent possession.”
“So it tells you that you can go there and you don’t need to dominate the ball but you can dominate the space and that’s obviously something that is important, especially in the big games away.”
“Tactically, we’ll arrive into the game in a good mind of how we can win it.”
“Like Arsenal, we do like to dominate the ball but there are certain games where tactically you look at the approach that’s going to get you the result and that’s something that we’ve done and have been working on this week.”