WE'VE joined forced with renowned punter James Cantrill (@JimmyThePunt) to set-up and share our Colossus Premier League Predictor selections ahead of Saturday's Premier League highlight between Arsenal and Liverpool.
Arsenal vs Liverpool | Saturday 3rd April 2021, 20:00 | Sky Sports
What will the Correct Score be?
The bouts between the Big Six this campaign have followed a trend as the majority have seen two goals or fewer with the most common scoreline being 0-0. If there was a fixture that was going to buck the trend though, it would be this one.
Ironically, the last meeting between these slides finished a bore draw, however, the previous five averaged 4.60 goals per-game with both teams scoring in all of those five fixtures.
Jurgen Klopp and Mikel Artera have met twice in the Premier League as managers of their respective clubs, the most recent clash finished 3-1 to Liverpool and the other finished 2-1 to Arsenal.
Odds-wise, the bookies favour the visitors in this one pricing them at 23/20 and I am going to side with them here as well. The ding-dong nature of these sides' recent encounters makes the correct score a difficult prediction to navigate so I am going to cover two here; 2-1 and 3-1. The latter has been the final score in both of Liverpool's most recent league victories over the Gunners.
It is also worth noting that 46% of their EPL victories have come via this scoreline this campaign, as has all three of their wins over the fellow big hitters.
Selection: 1-2, 1-3
Will a penalty be taken?
In terms of penalties received, both sides have earned six penalties this season. In terms of penalties conceded, no side has conceded more than Liverpool (nine) and no side has given away fewer than Arsenal (two).
Martin Atkinson has the whistle for this one, he has averaged just 0.09 penalties per game in the English top-flight this term which is the fewest average by some distance. Given this appointment I am going to say that there will not be a penalty in this fixture.
Selection: No
Will a player be sent off?
In terms of red cards, the hosts top the charts amongst the English elite this campaign with five. However, it is worth noting that they have not received any against the traditional Big Six and only one of their eight clashes against these sides has yielded one; the North London Derby.
Liverpool are yet to receive a red card in any competition this season. In fact, only two of their games have featured one, vs Everton and Chelsea.
This combined with the fact that Atkinson has only brandished two all season- an average of 0.09 per game- I am happy to put all my eggs in one basket here and say that there will be no red card at the Emirates on Saturday evening.
Selection: No
Will a goal be scored in the 1st half?
As previously mentioned, these sides recent head-to-heads have not been shy on goals with their last six games averaging 3.8 goals. In their last two EPL meetings, 86% of the goals have come in the first half!
Five of Liverpool’s seven league games against the Big Six have seen a first half goal- 47% have come before the whistle, whilst 75% of Arsenals have seen a first half goal.
Therefore, I am going to go with data here.
Selection: Yes
How many corners will be taken by the home team?
Arsenal’s clashes against the big boys have seen them rack up anywhere from a solitary corner to nine. In the games they have fallen behind in – as I expect them two here – they have averaged six.
They have hit between three and six corners in 75% of these games, which is what I am going to cover.
Selections: 3-4, 5-6
How many corners will be taken by the away team?
Liverpool have averaged 5.1 corners in their games against the Big Six. Interestingly though, they only managed two in each of their only away games vs Spurs and Man City.
Given the unpredictable nature of this clash I am going to air on the side of caution here by covering zero up to eight corners.
Selection: 0-2, 3-4,5-6, 7-8
How many cards will be shown to the home team?
Arsenal have averaged 1.4 yellow cards per-game domestically. In their games against the Big Six they have received one or two cards in 87%.. In fact, the only game they did not was when they racked up three vs Man Utd when Mike Dean was in charge.
Selection: 1,2
How many cards will be shown to the away team?
Liverpool have received between one or two cards in 71% of their games against the Big Sixx. However, it is worth noting that they have averaged just 1.1 yellow per-game this season and with Akinson in charge – who has awarded 2.48 cards per game this term – cards could be at a premium at the Emirates.
However, I am going to cover between one and two cards there as this has landed in the last three domestic head-to-heads for Liverpool.
Selection: 1,2
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