Merson says Liverpool must beat Arsenal to stay in title race
The Sky Sports pundit warns that anything less on Sunday also puts Andoni Iraola's side's Champions League hopes at risk.
Paul Merson has told Sky Sports that Andoni Iraola's Liverpool must beat Premier League champions Arsenal on Sunday if they are to be part of the title race.
The pundit argued that failure to win would leave Liverpool at least 6 points adrift, with a trip to the Emirates still to come. He added that losing was not an option either, since the hosts also need to keep pace in the race for the Champions League places.
Merson described the fixture as one of only a handful of difficult games facing Arsenal this season. History is against the visitors, who last won a league match away to Liverpool in 2012. Mikel Arteta was in the Arsenal side that day and is now in charge of the club.
Merson said that Bukayo Saka would be missed if the winger is injured for this spell, with Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze stepping in to fill his role. Arteta's options are thinner still, as Max Dowman is set to be suspended.
The match at Anfield is live on Sky Sports, after which Arsenal travel to Slavia Prague in the Champions League before hosting Man City in the league.
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