Liverpool vs. Arsenal: 10 Players To Watch at the Emirates on Saturday

Arsenal will entertain Liverpool on Saturday at 12:45 GMT in what will be a fascinating encounter and the first between two of the Premier League's true heavyweights.

With an array of talent set to be involved and several subplots bubbling at the surface, let's take a closer look at who we should keep a keen eye on this weekend and the reasons each player's development appears to be so intriguing.

Robin van Persie

The Dutchman is something of an enigma in the sense that van Persie is persistently impaired by niggling injuries throughout his seven years as a Gunner.

However, frustratingly for his fans and more reassuringly for rival fans, the 28-year-old has failed to play endure the rigours of the physical Premier League for the entirety of its campaign. In all competitions van Persie has played a maximum of 72 percent of Arsenal’s games during the '08/09 season but failed in four out of the last five seasons to play more than 60 percent of Arsenal’s games.

The challenge to remain physically well is even greater now that Wenger has burdened the Dutchman with the captain’s armband once Cesc Fábregas vacated it upon joining Barcelona.

At 28 years old, van Persie is in his prime and when on the field last season averaged a goal every 1.5 games to vanquish doubts he could play as a genuine centre forward.

Arsenal are in desperate need of leadership and van Persie must stand up.

Robin van Persie's percentage of games player since joining Arsenal:

2004/05: 73 percent

2005/06: 65 percent

2006/07: 54 percent

2007/08: 40 percent

2008/09: 72 percent

2009/10: 38 percent

2010/11: 59 percent

All statistics collated from http://www.football-lineups.com

Gervinho

Arsenal’s marquee signing this summer has made an instant impact. The Ivorian was sent off for a clash with Joey Barton, on his debut at St. James Park on Saturday, the second debutant to be sent off for Arsenal on Opening Day in consecutive seasons after Laurent Koscielny.

Gervinho was a revelation at French champions Lille last season. Belgium Eden Hazard got the majority of the plaudits but as proven in his absence this season, Gervinho was the difference maker. His pace and dynamism to dribble past opponents will offer Arsenal variety in their attacks.

The short, sharp passing is delightful on the eye but it will be Gervinho who will be entrusted to drive past fullbacks and prevent the opposition from deploying a high line and cramping Arsenal’s space to pass and move.

Theo Walcott

Theo Walcott is entering a critical phase of his career with Arsenal this year. It is amazing to think that this prodigious talent has already spent five seasons with the Gunners.

Much maligned in his short career, Walcott must now deliver both in terms of added goals as well as his consistency. Many are eagerly anticipating the Walcott’s inevitable transition to a centre forward, who stated his ambition to play more centrally in the post-match interview on Tuesday.

Walcott’s searing pace could cause defenders across the country to have nightmares and there is the potential there to envisage him becoming almost unplayable.

Aaron Ramsey

So Cesc Fábregas has finally joined Barcelona and Samir Nasri is on the verge of joining Manchester City too. Arsène Wenger will be plotting replacements as we speak and the Frenchman has done a marvellous job of renovating the squad over the years. Gunners fans should feel confident the same can be achieved this time.

Jack Wilshere is injured at the moment and Denilson is deemed surplus to requirements after rejoining São Paulo on loan (incidentally the Brazilian has bombed, being sent off twice in a number of days).

Enter Aaron Ramsey. The exceptionally talented Welshman is a capable passer but will add something to Arsenal that Fábregas seldom provided (2009/10 aside).

Rambo will be expected to provide a steady source of goals and a willing runner into the opposition’s box a la Frank Lampard. Evidence that Ramsey is capable of a more advanced role in midfield was seen for all against Manchester United at the Emirates.

Carl Jenkinson

The new acquisition from Charlton has been thrown into action already when Johan Djourou was injured in Arsenal’s Champions League qualifier on Tuesday night against Udinese.

The Finland U-21 international actually came on out of position at left-back, but showed great versatility and calmness to slot into the side seamlessly.

Despite being more adept at right-back Jenkinson can grasp an opportunity for a sustained run of games at left-back now. Thomas Vermaelen would ideally be deployed centrally and a more natural successor to Gael Clichy would be Kieran Gibbs.

The Englishman has done little to justify such a reputation yet and is forever injured. All this before we even begin to evaluate his defensive credentials.

Wenger is never afraid to offer an opportunity to a player and Jenkinson could expect a fast start to life in the Premier League.

Andy Carroll

After an astonishing £35 million move to Liverpool in January last season, the Geordie has inherited huge expectations. The Liverpool fans will be expecting Carroll to lead the line and help the club return to the Champions League.

The 22-year-old is a devastating force when in the mood and there is not a defender in the world who would relish the challenge of an on-form Andy Carroll.

Carroll may be beginning to experience the unfortunate consequence of his physical style in that referees will tend to be lenient to defenders. The striker was denied a perfectly legitimate goal on Saturday against Sunderland as he challenged Anton Ferdinand in the air.

Last season, Arsenal really struggled to deal with the aerial threat of Carroll as he guided Newcastle to a 1-0 victory at the Emirates courtesy of his dominating header from a set piece.

With Arsenal enduring plenty of injuries, Carroll will be hoping to feast upon a vulnerable defence and signify his new club’s intentions to reclaim a place inside the top four with Sunday’s opponents susceptible to being the casualty in that eventuality.

Stewart Downing

Downing has been reviled by the vast majority of neutrals since his transfer from Aston Villa this summer due to the perception that a near £20 million transfer fee is extortionate for a player of Downing’s capabilities.

The truth of the matter, in fact, is that Downing possesses the qualities that Liverpool so desperately coveted last season. The England international is a traditional winger who will spread the play for Liverpool and prevent the opposition from blocking the middle of the pitch in order to impede the dangerous strike force of Luis Suárez and Andy Carroll.

Moreover, Downing once fed the ball out wide will have numerous targets to deliver to in the penalty area. Carroll and Suárez are the obvious candidates but Dirk Kuyt from the opposite wing and the late arrivals from Steven Gerrard will prove equally dangerous.

Expect an array of crosses to rain in on the Arsenal penalty area from Downing who, when it is all said and done, will be integral to any success Liverpool achieve.

Lucas Leiva

Lucas was a player castigated by his own fans in the initial stages of his Liverpool career when it seemed as if the pace of the Premier League would be too much for the former Gremio midfielder.

But in the last 12 months, Lucas has gradually won the support from fans and teammates with some tenacious and unselfish displays. Having worked himself into a position as an automatic starter for Liverpool as well as a regular fixture for Brazil, it is a test of Lucas’ desire whether he can continue to add extra components to his game.

Whilst plying his trade in Brazil, the Seleção star was a box-to-box midfielder who was capable of joining up with attack when the occasion arose. Dalglish’s tactics may conceivably hinder this but the beauty of a signing like Charlie Adam, who will seldom drift away from Lucas in the deep-lying midfield role, is that the opportunity to break away and lead counterattacks should arise this season.

Lucas deserved his new long-term contract earlier in the year and will now flourish with the assurances provided by Dalglish that he remains part of an exciting project materialising at Anfield.

Charlie Adam

A transfer that was elongated since January, Charlie Adam finally signed for Liverpool this summer and looks set to become the anchor of the side under his compatriot Kenny Dalglish.

He possesses a wonderful range of passing, a fearsome delivery from set pieces and corners as well as being another candidate to strike a direct free kick. Adam may not be blessed with tremendous physical attributes but fellow signing Jordan Henderson and Lucas Leiva will abundantly protect him.

Whether Arsenal can deal with the threat of Downing’s delivery from out wide is one thing, but Adam will be launching an array of passes short and long to pull Arsenal’s defence all over.

Luis Suárez

When will this man stop?

Luis Suárez has had a magnificent 12 months since guiding Uruguay to the World Cup semifinals, before a protracted move to Liverpool in January and finally a summer expedition to Argentina to lead his nation once more to a record-breaking 15th Copa América.

The Uruguayan possesses great energy and is a constant live wire around the penalty area capable of conjuring up some magic from the most difficult situations.

Whether Suárez can continue his exploits throughout an entire season is up in the air, but it is going to be fascinating following his progress in an ever-progressing Liverpool side.

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