Preview: Arsenal vs Liverpool: Suarez smells Arsenal blood

Both sides got off to slow start in the opening day, with Liverpool only managing to draw 1-1 at home to Sunderland and Arsenal playing out a stalemate away to Newcastle. The curtain-raiser of the new Premier League season also reintroduced an old friend to both clubs, controversy.

Liverpool can count themselves unfortunate not to have played the majority of the game against Sunderland with the numerical advantage personnel-wise, as Kieran Richardson should surely have been red carded for bringing down Luis Suarez when the deadly Uruguayan striker looked to have rounded ‘keeper Simon Mignolet. Andy Carroll also had a goal disallowed for an alleged foul on Anton Ferdinand. Referee Phil Down deemed that Carroll pushed the Sunderland defender before controlling the ball and firing into the net, but replays suggest that the Geordie striker didn’t do much wrong and that Ferdinand simply misjudged the flight of the ball.

Joey Barton proved too much for Arsenal players to stomach when they played Newcastle as St. James’ Park. First Alex Song reacted to a foul by Barton with a sly stomp on the back of the midfielder’s leg, which would’ve most certainly resulted in a red cad had it been detected by the referee, then Barton hauled Arsenal debutant Gervinho to his feet after the Ivorian appeared to take a dive in the penalty area. The handbags that ensued eventually culminated with Gervinho’s dismissal for slapping Barton on the head, with the former Man City player taking a theatrical dive of his own in the process.

The two fixtures between Arsenal and Liverpool last season also had more drama than action. Last season’s opening game had Roy Hodgson take charge of his first competitive league game at Anfield, against Arsenal. Joe Cole earned himself a red card on his debut for a wild two-footed lunge in the first-half. David N’Gog put the Reds in the lead early in the second-half, before a rare error by Pepe Reina gifted Arsenal a last gasp equalizer. Another debutant, Laurent Koscielny, had an early bath when he received a second yellow card minutes before the full-time whistle.

At the Emirates, a weakened Liverpool looked set to leave London with a point until Jay Spearing gave away a penalty in injury time, which was duly converted by Robin Van Persie. 90 seconds later Arsenal quite comically gave away a penalty of their own. Dirk Kuyt showed nerves of steel to score and end Arsenal’s title hopes.

This time around, both sides will badly want a win to atone for their disappointing opening day results. Arsene Wenger will be without the recently departed Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Eboue, while Kieran Gibbs and Johannes Djourou join Jack Wilshere on the treatment table and Gervinho serves the first match of a three game suspension. Samir Nasri is also unlikely to feature as he continues to seek a move away from the Emirates.

Liverpool have no fresh injury worries after their clash with Sunderland. Kenny Dalglish’s men enjoyed a week off while Arsenal battled to a 1-0 victory against Udinese in the Champions League play-off round on Tuesday night.

Liverpool have yet to taste victory at the Emirates but now is as good a time as any for the Reds to break their duck, with Arsenal’s mounting selection problems. Dirk Kuyt’s omission from the starting line-up against Sunderland shows the strength of Dalglish’s squad, and such competition is likely to demand good performances from those vying to nail down a place in the starting eleven.

Bet365 offer odds of 9/5 on an away victory for Liverpool with Luis Suarez likely to prove a strong threat to Arsenal’s defence.

Tip: Liverpool to win @ 9/5