Liverpool’s Men of Steel
FSPortal
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Jürgen Klopp has admitted than Liverpool cannot compete with Arsenal if they try to match Arsene Wenger’s possession-based game-plan.
The Premier League leaders go to Anfield on Wednesday night as they continue their pursuit of claiming a first league title for 12 years. However, Klopp has suggested that Liverpool will have to adopt a more defensive approach, as they did in their impressive 1-0 away win over Stoke City in the Capital One Cup semi-final last week, to claim all three points.
Fantasy football game www.oulala.com have analysed both sides and have revealed some underlying stats that suggest if Liverpool are to beat Arsenal, the midfield battle will be crucial.
Oulala’s stats shows that Reds midfield pair, Lucas Leiva and Emre Can, have outperformed Arsenal duo, Mathieu Flamini and Aaron Ramsey, in a host of key areas this season.
On a per game basis, Lucas and Can boast more tackles won (5.6 to 3), more duels won (6.2 to 4.2) and more successful forward passes (76 to 65).
Furthermore, the Liverpool duo also come out on top for overall tackle success rate (49 to 33 per cent), duel success rate (56 to 50 per cent) and take-on success rate (66 to 63 per cent).
It appears Arsenal are undoubtedly missing the injured Francis Coquelin and Santi Cazorla from the heart of their midfield. With both out with respective knee injuries and unlikely to return until March, Jürgen Klopp will look to Lucas Leiva and Emre Can to provide the steel that Liverpool will need to overcome Arsene Wenger’s side this evening.
