Liverpool FC: The 5 Keys to Victory Against Arsenal on Saturday

The season is only 38 games long. You need to take advantage of every match. Unfortunately, Liverpool failed to do that in a relatively simple opening day matchup with Sunderland.

That makes Saturday's fixture against Arsenal all the more important.

Liverpool need three points.

In a tricky away fixture, there are several factors that can change the game in the Reds' favour. They need to take advantage of everything they can.

Here are the five key things that Liverpool need to do in order to take full points against their London rivals.

5. Shut Down Aaron Ramsey

If anyone can unlock Liverpool's defense, it will be Aaron Ramsey. Suspensions and injuries have led to a thin corps of centre midfielders at the Emirates, but the young Welshman is more than capable of leading his team into battle.

Ramsey is a brilliant passer and a smart central player. With Jack Wilshere out, everything will go through him.

Liverpool need to match Lucas up with him and do their very best to cancel him out. He has shown an ability to dominate games in the past, and the Reds cannot allow that to happen.

4. Improve Right Side

As Liverpool staggered to a 1-1 draw against Sunderland, the right side was the team's biggest weakness.

John Flanagan showed his youth and inexperience as Black Cats' left winger Sebastian Larsson often toyed with him. Flanagan's mistake in marking Larsson led to the equalising goal.

Jordan Henderson didn't make a significant impact moving forward against his former club and failed to penetrate the Sunderland defenses.

Since Glen Johnson is still injured, Martin Kelly will likely be in the team. He should bring more stability and better offensive support to whoever is on the wing. Liverpool may move to a 4-3-3 formation which would allow Kelly to work with Luis Suarez to create a strong flank. 

3. Alberto Aquilani

Alberto Aquilani likely won't feature in the team (he didn't even make the 18-man team against Sunderland), but he should. If anyone has the key to unlock Luis Suarez and Stewart Downing down the wing, it's Aquilani.

The Italian's passing and intelligent playmaking made him the Juventus Player of the Year last season, and he has the potential to be a vital player at Anfield. He just needs to be given a chance.

He showed good flashes of chemistry with Charlie Adam in preseason, and they could rekindle that. Aquilani could develop into a key player for Liverpool.

2. Exposing the Weaknesses

The key to beating any team is to go out and expose their weaknesses right away. Fortunately, Arsenal have a lot of them.

First off, they have two key suspensions. Alex Song is an important player in the heart of their midfield, and his absence will allow Liverpool to play with an attacking central midfielder to release the forwards (like Alberto Aquilani). Gervinho will also be missing after slapping Joey Barton.

With Robin van Persie now the only attacking threat, it wouldn't be out of the realm of the possibility to see Liverpool play a three-defender system.

Arsenal will also be without their former best midfielders. Cesc Fabregas has left for Barcelona, and Samir Nasri will probably be out of the lineup again with a move to Manchester City on the horizon.

Match that with the fact that Jack Wilshere is injured and you have a weak midfield. Liverpool need to control the centre of the pitch early and need to hold that throughout.

Finally, Arsenal have a lack of significant size at defense. That makes a perfect situation for...

1. Andy Carroll

The 6'3" Liverpool striker can physically outmatch anyone on his day. With Arsenal's star defender Thomas Vermaelen likely to man-mark Luis Suarez, Carroll will probably lock horns with Laurent Koscielny.

That gives him a full two-inch, four-kilos advantage.

Liverpool need to dominate the wings and involve Carroll. He can be a force against a team like Arsenal. If he is supplied with good deliveries from the flank, then the sky is a limit. Carroll could really shine on Saturday.

Follow Jacob Ware on Twitter at @jacobware95