"Can’t even play well for 45 minutes" - Mark Lawrenson makes prediction for Liverpool vs Arsenal

Football pundit Mark Lawrenson has tipped Arsenal to come out winners during their crunch Premier League clash against struggling Liverpool. Both clubs will face each other this weekend (April 9) at Anfield, in what is expected to be one of the standout matches for Gameeek 30.

The two clubs will go into a mouth-watering encounter on the back of contrasting forms. Arsenal are currently coasting clear at the top of the league table, while Liverpool are eighth, 29 points behind the Gunners.

Jurgen Klopp's team have endured a relatively disappointing 2022-23 football campaign as they have all fallen short on sides by their standards. They are currently at risk of missing out on top-four qualification this season, as they are 10 points behind fourth-placed Manchester United.

However, a win against the league leaders this weekend could make a bold statement about the Merseysiders making their last fight for a top-four spot.

Pundit Lawrenson, however, believes that the Reds don't have what it takes to beat in-form Gunners at Anfield.

He sighted their last league game against Chelsea as an example, stating that they should have lost the game against the Blues. Both teams played out a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge on April 5. However, the home team were adjudged to have been the better side in a large part of the encounter.

Writing in his column for Paddy Power, Lawrenson wrote:

"I very rarely tip Liverpool to get beat but I just can’t see them beating Arsenal! They can’t even play well for 45 minutes at the moment. They changed three at the back against Chelsea and that’s a statement and it tells you something about the state that the Reds are in."

He went further to predict a 2-1 victory for the Gunners over Klopp's team.

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Paul Merson tips Arsenal to win Liverpool on Sunday

The pundit has backed his former side to come out on top against Jurgen Klopp's side in his recent prediction with Sportskeeda.

He went further to state that a win for the north London side against Liverpool would cement their 2022-23 Premier League chances. He wrote:

"This game is a worry for Arsenal. Liverpool did not play [Mohamed] Salah, [Virgil] Van Dijk, [Andy] Robertson, or [Trent] Alexander-Arnold against Chelsea. Jurgen Klopp could be saving these players for Arsenal. I’d be shocked if they don’t play this game."

He continued:

“It seems like the Arsenal game at home is more important to Jurgen Klopp, and that would worry me as an Arsenal fan. If Arsenal win this game, I think they will win the Premier League."

Arteta's side lead second-placed Manchester City by eight points, having played one more game.