League Cup: Dominant Liverpool await crisis-hit Gunners

LONDON: Arsenal would probably have preferred an easier League Cup opponent than Premier League leaders Liverpool as they bid to regroup following captain Granit Xhaka’s tantrum and a poor run of form.

However, that is the task that faces the Gunners on Wednesday heading to Anfield for their fourth round clash. Unai Emery’s players have won just twice in their

last eight Premier League games as opposed to Jurgen Klopp’s Champions League holders who have dropped just two points thus far this term. Theirs is one of three all Premier League matches on Wednesday — the rest of the games are on Tuesday — with Chelsea hosting Manchester United and Aston Villa at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Liverpool’s last domestic honour dates back to lifting this trophy in 2012 but despite a desire to end that run Klopp is likely to field a very different line-up to the one that beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 in the Premier League at the weekend.

Mohamed Salah is one of the Liverpool stars who will be rested but Arsenal’s Emery may be tempted to select Xhaka to refocus his mind after his histrionics on Sunday storming down the tunnel after being substituted during the 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace. Arsenal veteran Hector Bellerin — who is ruled out of the match due to injury — has called for everyone to calm down and pull together.

“It’s time to lift each other up, not to push each other away. We only win when we are together,” he tweeted. Unlike Xhaka Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic enjoyed a memorable weekend in the best senses of the term scoring a hat-trick — his first goals for the club and a small initial repayment of what they paid Borussia Dortmund for him.