3 Things to watch out for when Arsenal meet Liverpool

#1 Lucas Torreira

Torreira has been a revelation

Since arriving from Sampdoria for close to £26m, the diminutive Uruguayan has been a revelation for Arsenal. After an initial teething period, he has now established himself as the first name on the team-sheet.

Torreira was a vital cog as Arsenal won seven on the trot in the league. The ex-Sampdoria midfielder has a skill-set vastly different from his peers at the Emirates. Blessed with the ability to anticipate the path and trajectory of the ball, he has been efficient in breaking up the opposition’s play. However, the most impressive aspect has been his ability to transition quickly from defence to attack by playing impressive passes in between the lines.

Torreira didn’t start the twin defeats against Manchester City and Chelsea yet created more of an impact than any of the other midfielders. Now having firmly established himself as a starter, it would be intriguing to see how he fares against Liverpool’s dynamic play. If the Uruguayan is successful in cutting off the passing lines to Liverpool’s front three, Arsenal would gain the edge in a battle of fine margins.

The Gunners have been dominated in midfield with uncomforting frequency over the previous few years. However, in Torreira, they finally seem to have a pocket-sized dynamite capable of going toe to toe. For all of the attacking artistry on display, the most interesting aspect would be the impact (or lack of it) Torreira creates.

While Reds’ fans would hope for it to be as minimal as possible, Gooners would want it to be astronomical. With just over a day to go, how the Uruguayan performs is something everyone needs to watch out for.