August is not over yet, the transfer window is not yet over, but it feels like each point has become extremely important in the Premier League championship race.
Liverpool and Arsenal - 2 of the top 3 candidates before the season - are currently rare teams to maintain a 100% win record. The other team is Tottenham under coach Thomas Frank.
Manchester City disappointed when they lost to Spurs at home last weekend, while Chelsea quickly declined in the opening rounds. In that context, the opportunity for Arsenal or Liverpool to break away with a favorable start is wide open.
That is what makes this weekend's big match more dramatic. Arsenal and Liverpool are both among the teams spending the most in Europe this summer, with the pressure to prove their correctness in the squad restructuring. In particular, coach Mikel Arteta and his students are still hungry for a big title since the COVID-19 period.
A defeat at Anfield will leave Arsenal black before the first international break of the season. In contrast, a win at Anfield could be a turning point in the Gunners' season, even though it is only in the early stages.
Arsenal's recent head-to-head record against the Big Six is impressive. They are no longer the ones chasing behind, but have affirmed their position with impressive statistics. Although there is no title as evidence, continuous defeat of direct competitors is enough to make a mark.
The 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the opening round of this season extended Arsenal's unbeaten streak against the "big guys" to 844 days. Their most recent defeat was a 1-4 loss to Man City - the match that decided the throne of the 2022-2023 season. Since then, in 21 direct encounters with competitors, the "Gunners" have won 12, drawn 9 and have not lost any more matches.
However, Mikel Arteta has yet to help the team win away from home against a direct championship candidate. Last season, Arsenal were robbed of a victory by Man City in the final minutes, before repeating the same scenario at Anfield when the championship race had fallen.
If Arsenal can now beat the defending champions away from home, it will be an important turning point to dispel doubts about their ability to conquer the top of the Premier League.
Many people are still skeptical about being able to overcome Real Madrid in the Champions League, but Mikel Arteta and his team have turned Santiago Bernabeu into their own playground. The loss to PSG afterwards was not aishy thing. In contrast, these valuable experiences will be a must for Arsenal, especially ahead of their away trip to Anfield.
Arsenal's ambitions began to be questioned after they struggled under the fierce pressure of Man United in the opening round. Although the "Red Devils" are still in the "Big Six" group, finishing 15th last season caused this victory to somewhat reduce the prestige of a team aiming to win the championship like Arsenal.
For many Arsenal fans, the most important thing is that the away trip at Old Trafford ended in a joyful manner with all 3 points.
Mikel Arteta also saw this as a bright spot, stressing that his team is now being criticized for "not winning enough" on harsh pitches, instead of being often crushed like before. However, internally, he and the coaching staff are certainly still concerned about the weaknesses that have been exposed.
Liverpool also won both matches, but their performance came with many questions. The Kop twice lost the lead and tried to hold on to hide their instability.
Bournemouth even made them roam at Anfield. Newcastle with only 10 men still dominated Liverpool until the 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha shone.
Arsenal and Liverpool entered the match with the same belief: this is an opportunity for them to assert themselves. Despite investing heavily in the transfer market, both teams are not really perfect.
