'They must start': Paul Merson says Arne Slot must do something for the first time this season vs Arsenal
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The big games keep on coming for Liverpool as they face Arsenal in a huge Premier League match-up on Sunday.
Having come through tricky matches against Bournemouth and Newcastle United, the Reds must lift themselves to face last season’s runners-up.
Liverpool will surely have to be better than they have been in their opening two matches, with Mikel Arteta’s team having won both of their matches so far.
Arsenal are yet to concede in the Premier League this season and although Liverpool have the advantage of playing at Anfield, they will need to be at their best.
It will no doubt have been an intense week on the AXA Training Centre pitches as Arne Slot determines how to make his team look more like their usual solid selves.
And as Slot scratches his head over those answers, former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson has made a suggestion on what the Liverpool head coach simply must do against the Gunners.
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
Clearly part of the problem for Liverpool this season has been that they have not been able to get their regular midfield on the pitch all at the same time.
Either Ryan Gravenberch or Alexis Mac Allister have been missing in all three matches so far.
Writing for Sportskeeda, Merson says Slot must reunite Gravenberch and Mac Allister with Dominik Szoboszlai against Arsenal to give them the best chance of winning.
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“I have a feeling Arne Slot will go back to using Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai in midfield in this game,” says the pundit.
So I don’t really see Wirtz not playing this game, but it can certainly become a big conundrum for Arne Slot in the future.
“It’s the same with Milos Kerkez.
The first of those he even outlines himself: it is unlikely Wirtz does not play in this game.
If the German is on the pitch then there is simply no place for all three of Gravenberch, Mac Allister and Szoboszlai in midfield.
The second is the question of whether Mac Allister will even be fit to play against Arsenal.
The Argentine missed Monday’s clash with Newcastle and has been struggling since the end of last season.
Slot was not giving much away in his pre-match press conference on Friday, but it would be a surprise to see Mac Allister start.
As a result, we think Liverpool fans – and Merson – will have to wait to see this dynamic trio back in tandem for the Reds.