Michail Antonio has given Mikel Arteta the answer on how to beat Liverpool, as the Gunners travel to Anfield on the first game after the international break.
West Ham ran out 3-2 winners over the Reds in the last game before the international duty, which Antonio started in.
The Hammers managed to score from two set-piece goals in this game and the Jamaican international highlighted Liverpool’s weakness in defending.
Speaking to Sky Sports in his post-match interview he said : “Keep the ball away from Virgil!.”
Virgil Van Dijk has been Liverpool’s leader ever since joining the club in 2018 and was a pivotal part to their Champions League and Premier League success in the years after.
However, Liverpool looked extremely weak in defending set-pieces which is the reason why they were defeated against West Ham.
And Arsenal can take huge encouragement from this, as the Gunners have unusually been magnificent from dead ball situations so far in this campaign.
Arteta’s side has scored six goals from set plays in the Premier League this season, more than any other team in the league.
The Arsenal boss touched on the importance of set pieces, as he said: “It's a crucial part of the game nowadays, and a lot of games are defined by [them].”
The Spaniard could certainly use set-pieces as a trick to beat Liverpool when the Gunners travel to Anfield.
The north London club certainly need to buck up their ideas, as we haven’t witnessed a Premier League victory away to the Merseyside club since Wenger was managing the club in 2012.
The stadium is a notoriously difficult ground to play at and clear-cut chances are rare, which makes the set-pieces ever more important.
But with Van Dijk’s presence, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka will have to be pinpoint with their deliveries, which they have already proven to be this season.
If Arsenal can take Antonio’s advice on board and come out winners against the Reds, then they would leap them in the table and be amongst the top four places, which highlights the excellent work Arteta, and the coaching staff have put in this season, which includes the set-piece work.
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