Liverpool vs Arsenal: The Big Kick-Off

Good morning, the day we've all been waiting for is finally here. This afternoon Arsenal will kick-off their new season with a massive fixture away to Liverpool.

There should be no question that Liverpool will provide tough opposition. Even amidst all their troubles last season, beating them proved a difficult task home and away.

They will fancy themselves as resurgent under the new leadership of Roy Hodgson and will want to give their home fans something to cheer this afternoon.

There's apparently every chance of Fernando Torres returning from injury for Liverpool in this game and you don't need me to tell you what a threat he is. Combined with Gerrard and new boy Joe Cole, you have to say they have plenty that can trouble Arsenal at the back.

However, Liverpool are far from invincible and so are Arsenal. It's a very difficult game to predict the outcome of, and I think most fans on both sides would be satisfied with a draw.

For Arsenal the major question marks hang over whether or not Van Persie and Fabregas will be selected. I must say I would be a little frustrated if they weren't. Other players who played just as much at the World Cup (and didn't have a several month long rest in the middle of last season like Van Persie) have played this weekend, and I would view it as far too over-cautious on Arsene Wenger's part to leave the pair out in such a difficult game.

It will be a harsh introduction to Premier League football for new boys Marouane Chamakh and Laurent Koscielny, who will surely both start. I don't have any worries about Chamakh but it will be interesting to see how Koscielny gets on. Will he be outmuscled or can he hold his own?

The goalkeeper that starts today will be Arsenal's No. 1, at least for the time being according to Arsene Wenger. His temptation to play Szczesny is clear in those quotes, but he is also aware of the need for experience at the back. So therefore, if we need a keeper with experience as a priority and also a bit of of quality. I think I might weep if the answer that Mr Wenger comes up with to that equation is Lukasz Fabianski.

I've said all through the summer I see no case for Fabianski to be Arsenal's first choice goalkeeper at all. Last weekend in the final preparation game, he did little to change anyone's mind. If it's experience the manager feels we need, it has to be Manuel Almunia.

Despite my own reservations, I think most Arsenal fans would be quite forgiving if he took a chance on Szczesny and it didn't work out. I understand why. We've watched for over a year now as Almunia and Fabianski have taken it upon themselves to bring us to the point of cardiac arrest with their goalkeeping.

I personally don't believe Szczesny is the answer at this moment in time, and that's why I consider a signing in this area to be quite important.

But enough talk of signings, we've had the whole summer to do that, and we'll have a few more weeks between games until the end of the month to do it as well. Today, football is back, the Arsenal are back and no matter what you think needs to happen in the transfer market, it's surely impossible not to be excited at the start of the new season.

After all, Arsenal won at Anfield last season with Almunia in goal, and besides, Arshavin is fit and we all know how much he loves playing on that ground. Five goals in two appearances there and Liverpool must be absolutely sick of the sight of him. Fingers crossed they'll be a bit sicker by the end of the day.

Away from the match, Arsene Wenger has signed a new contract extension, keeping him with Arsenal until 2014. I must say I thought it might be a bit of healthy pressure for him not to renew the contract until a little later, but I'm delighted that the manager is staying on nevertheless and it will be no sadness at all to be spared the constant media speculation that would have accompanied his not signing until later on.

I know that Arsene Wenger can be a frustrating man at times, but I firmly believe he's the right man to be in charge of Arsenal Football Club. Even these last five years with the much-talked about lack of trophies, Arsenal have stayed competitive at the top of the game and that's a huge credit to the manager.

Now though, even Arsene Wenger's patience is wearing thin. He is a winner, and wants trophies as much as, if not more than any Arsenal fan. I believe he will get it right in the end as well. Will it be this season? I hope so. In any case, it's superb news that he's staying on another four seasons.

So that wraps it up for today, I will speak to you tomorrow after Arsenal have kicked off their new season. Exciting times ahead, we hope.

Come on the Arsenal!