Paul Merson predicts: Arsenal vs. Liverpool (h)

Arsenal legend Paul Merson has predicted his ex-side to open the Premier League campaign with a 2-2 draw against Liverpool.

Both sides go into the game with plenty of injuries and missing players, with the Gunners set to be without the likes of Per Mertesacker, Gabriel, Laurent Koscielny, Mesut Ozil, Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck amongst others, while Jurgen Klopp’s side are unlikely to have the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Lucas Leiva and Mamadou Sakho, who are all injured.

With both sides notorious for their slow starts, Merson, in his Sky Sports prediction column, has predicted an exciting, yet tight game with plenty of goals.

“The injuries are a major concern for Arsenal. They have one centre forward in Olivier Giroud when their rivals have three or four each. Don’t tell me Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott are centre forwards. They might be able to step in for one or two games but you are not going to win the Premier League that way.

 “As for Liverpool, they are decent going forward, they are quick and score goals on the break, but again, defensively they are not too good either. I see plenty of goals in this one.”

Arsenal supporters could get the opportunity to see £30m summer signing Granit Xhaka in a red and white shirt for the first time in the Premier League, while Skhodran Mustafi’s almost imminent move to the club will not go through in time to register him for the game.