London, Feb 28 (IANS) Arsenal have the chance to open a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League on Wednesday night when they entertain struggling Everton, while Liverpool need to recapture some form against Wolverhampton.
Arsenal go into the match with Gabriel Jesus their only absentee as he continues his recovery from a knee injury. The ‘Gunners’ will hope for a better result than in their first meeting with Everton ended in a 1-0 defeat at Goodison Park less than a month ago.
That game meant Sean Dyche got off to a winning start at the club, but a 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday leaves Everton back in the bottom three, a point from safety, a Xinhua report said.
Everton have struggled to score goals, with just 17 in 24 league games, and their cause is not helped by the continued absence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Meanwhile, Dyche is expecting a totally different game in the Emirates Stadium than the meeting earlier this month.
“They (Arsenal) are having a fine season for sure. They’re being very creative home and away but particularly at home, and they’ve proved they’re a force to be reckoned with.”
“We’ve got to go down and be ready for that, and also give a performance ourselves like we did at home. It’s not as easy,” he said.
Liverpool lost 3-0 away to Wolves on the same day that Everton beat Arsenal at Goodison and Jurgen Klopp’s side need to produce an improved display against a side that has got better since the arrival of Julen Lopetegui, but who have only scored one goal more than Everton this season.
Liverpool’s main issues have been in midfield and defense this season, with players such as Trent Alexander-Arnold looking tired, although Klopp said after the weekend draw with Crystal Palace that the full-back has not been able to rest.
Despite their poor season, a win would lift Liverpool above Fulham into sixth place and with a game in hand.
Klopp will hope to have Darwin Nunez available after the striker suffered a shoulder injury, but Thiago Alcantara, Luis Diaz, Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate are all likely to miss out.
–IANS
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