Roy Keane and Paul Scholes share a united stance on Arsenal’s prospects as they prepare for a crucial Premier League clash against Liverpool.
Arsenal faces significant challenges, with key players like William Saliba, Martin Odegaard, and Riccardo Calafiori absent, while Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber remain doubtful due to fitness issues. Despite these setbacks, Keane and Scholes argue that this match is exactly the kind of test that proves a team’s title credentials.
“This is what the game is about,” Keane remarked on the Stick to Football podcast. “We talk about Arsenal and all these big clubs; you have to manage these injuries and occasional suspensions. People act like it’s a miracle to win when you’re missing players, but big clubs should be able to handle it.”
Drawing on his experience with Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United, where the team regularly delivered under rotated lineups, Keane encouraged Arsenal to adopt a bold approach. “Liverpool are coming, they’ve had a strong start, so Arsenal should use that as motivation and show they’re a big club ready to compete,” he added.
Scholes emphasized Arsenal’s mentality, pointing to similar situations faced by league-winning sides. “If you want to win leagues, you [Arsenal] have to win these big games [against Liverpool],” he noted, recalling Arsenal’s previous season when they drew against Manchester City and celebrated. “That was the moment to go for the league.”
With Manchester City narrowly edging out Southampton to return to the top of the table, Liverpool, riding an eight-game winning streak, could reclaim the summit with a victory at the Emirates. Although Arsenal won their last encounter in north London, Liverpool’s recent record at the Emirates suggests a challenging task for the hosts.
