Make no mistake about it, Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Liverpool on Friday night is a key fixture in both clubs’ respective seasons. Currently either side of the all-important top four line, the Emirates Stadium clash could have a determining say in which side qualifies for the Champions League via domestic position come the end of the campaign.

What’s more, this fixture has a knack of delivering an impressive supply of goals – their 51 Premier League meetings to date have produced 141 – so it looks set to be another open and edgy encounter between the Gunners and the Reds this time around. Accordingly, the result could well boil down to which side dominates the key individual battles. Here, we look at four of the most important…

Ainsley Maitland-Niles vs Mohamed Salah

Mohamed Salah has unquestionably been one of the most formidable attacking threats in the Premier League this season, so it’s rather surprising Arsene Wenger appears to have lost his faith in first-choice left-back Sead Kolasinac ahead of such an important game.

The summer signing was left out against Newcastle last weekend yet played the full ninety minutes versus West Ham in midweek, suggesting he’ll be starting from the bench at best on Friday night.

While we could see Nacho Monreal return to his natural left-back role after most commonly featuring at centre-half this season, recent selections suggest Wenger will place his trust in youngster Ainsley Maitland-Niles. More a midfielder by trade, Salah represents easily the biggest test of the 20-year-old’s career to date.

The Egyptian international already has 14 Premier League goals this season and completed the fourth-most dribbles of any player in the division.

Hector Bellerin vs Andrew Robertson

Both managers like their full-backs to venture forward whenever possible and nowhere is that highlighted better than on a flank that will see Hector Bellerin and Andrew Robertson directly compete with each other for space on the overlap.

Although both defenders will have their own problems to deal with in the form of the opposing winger (most likely Philippe Coutinho and Alex Iwobi respectively), they’ll be desperate to contribute offensively – especially in Bellerin’s case if Arsenal revert back to the 3-4-3 setup they’ve used on the most-part this season.

In what looks set to be an open game between two attacking-minded teams, Bellerin and Robertson’s ability to provide deliveries into the box could well prove to be the difference – but so could the gaps they leave behind when pushing forward.

Jack Wilshere & Granit Xhaka vs the Counter-Attack

Rather than directly competing with an opposite number, the ultimate question lingering over Arsenal’s midfield is whether it can offer enough protection to stop the most potent weapon in Liverpool’s armoury – the counter-attack.

No side has come close to matching Liverpool’s five counter-attacking goals away from home this season and that was their biggest offensive success in the 4-0 win at Anfield as well, sucking up pressure before hitting the visitors on the break. While that’s as much about how the whole team is organised, Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey’s lack of discipline in midfield was undoubtedly a pivotal factor in how poorly Arsenal defended those situations on Merseyside.

With Ramsey injured, Jack Wilshere looks set to take the Welshman’s place in the engine room but the ultimate question is whether Xhaka and Wilshere have the athleticism and the awareness to push wide and snuff out those counter-attacks when required.

Mesut Ozil vs Jordan Henderson

While he may continue to divide opinion, Mesut Ozil is still one of Arsenal’s most important players – especially at home where he’s provided two goals and four assists in eight Premier League appearances so far this season.

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If the German international brings his best form, he’ll almost certainly unlock what has been a shaky Liverpool defence at times this term, particularly on the road. The task of stopping him primarily falls to Reds captain Jordan Henderson, who will be at the base of the engine room.

Steadily transitioned into a defensive midfielder by Klopp, the England international has a knack of dividing opinion amongst his fans as well, but if Liverpool are to escape the Emirates Stadium with a clean sheet, he’ll inevitably play a huge part.

Everton confirmed on Wednesday night that Theo Walcott has signed for the club, making a move from Arsenal where he’s spent the last ten years of his career.

Walcott makes the move to Merseyside for a reported £20m on a three-and-a-half-year deal that further illustrates Everton’s desire to add talent that can make them a consistent force in the top half of the English Premier League table.

The England international made 399 appearances for the Gunners, scoring 108 goals and assisting 78 more from a variety of attacking positions.

Despite that significant contribution, he was often criticised for a lack of consistency in an Arsenal shirt and in recent years increasingly moved to the fringes of Arsene Wenger’s squad. This season he’s seen just 63 minutes of top flight action.

Fans are pleased to see him make the move, with most recognising that he served the club decently over the last decade. Some have been more critical, believing he never really reached his potential and was a massive disappointment.

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Arsenal supporters took to Twitter to share their thoughts on his move…

Reported Manchester United target Mesut Ozil impressed in his side’s 2-1 win against Chelsea in their EFL Cup semi-final tie against Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night, and Red Devils fans have urged their club to sign the playmaker now.

The Independent reported on Wednesday that Jose Mourinho is still keen to bring the 29-year-old to Old Trafford despite already signing Alexis Sanchez from the Gunners this month, with the Germany international’s contract with the north London outfit due to expire this summer.

Ozil has shown some improved form in recent weeks following a slow start to the campaign, and he has scored four goals and provided a further six assists in 20 appearances in all competitions for Arsene Wenger’s men this term.

Man United supporters were quick to have their say on his latest display via social media, and while one said “announce Ozil now before he signs a new contract”, another said “our number 10 jersey must be Ozil’s”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane has told Real Madrid that he will join the Spanish club if they meet his list of demands, according to Diario Gol.

What’s the story?

Barely a day goes by when Kane is not linked with a move to the Bernabeu.

The striker’s stunning form, which led him to top the scoring charts in Europe by the end of 2017, is bound to attract attention from other clubs.

Kane has not publicly entertained a move to Madrid, but according to reports in Spain, the 24-year-old is privately considering a switch.

Diario Gol reports that the England international has told club president Florentino Perez that he will only ponder a move if certain conditions are met.

Kane reportedly wants Zinedine Zidane to be sacked as manager, and has also allegedly requested that Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema be axed.

Current Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is believed to be at the top of the striker’s list of replacements for Zidane.

Could these outrageous demands be true?

All stories of this nature should be taken with a pinch of salt, but there is no denying that nowadays footballers have much more of a say than they used to.

The astronomical wages and marketing pull that certain players have gives them much more control.

Many fans adopt the saying that ‘no one player is bigger than the club’, but there have been reported instances of teams dislodging managers.

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If it is true that Kane has made these demands to one of the world’s biggest clubs, then player power has gone way too far.

Give and take is normal for any negotiation, but telling a club to change coaches or drop some of their star players is ludicrous.

Leeds United appointed former Barnsley boss Paul Heckingbottom as their new manager this week after Thomas Christiansen was sacked following the 4-1 defeat against Cardiff City at Elland Road last weekend.

The 40-year-old was a surprise choice in many ways considering he had only ever managed the Yorkshire club, had signed a new contract with the Tykes on February 2 and was in the middle of a run of just one win in 14 Championship matches.

Heckingbottom is the latest boss to be tasked with trying to get the Whites back to the Premier League for the first time since they were relegated in 2004, but it remains to be seen whether he can lead them to a play-off position this season.

Whatever happens, the manager will have plenty of work to do in the summer transfer window and he may consider looking back at his former club to see if they have any players that he feels could do a job for him and the team next term.

Here are three Barnsley players Heckingbottom could target to try and bring to Leeds in the summer…

Liam Lindsay

Barnsley only signed the 6ft 4in centre-back from Partick Thistle last summer, but he has already established himself as one of the Tykes’ best and key players.

According to WhoScored.com, the 22-year-old has won 125 of the 182 aerial duels he has faced in 26 Championship appearances this season, while he has won 39 of the 46 tackles he has attempted and made an impressive 165 clearances.

With Matthew Pennington only on loan and captain Liam Cooper needing to improve his discipline on the pitch, Heckingbottom may well be looking for a new centre-back in the summer and the highly-rated Lindsay could be the one that he targets.

Brad Potts

Like Lindsay, Potts only joined Barnsley in the summer from Blackpool following a number of impressive performances for the Tangerines, and he is starting to replicate those displays for the Yorkshire outfit.

The 6ft 2in midfielder has already shown that he is something of an all-rounder in the middle of the park, and as well as scoring two goals in 23 Championship appearances, he has also shown his creative side by making 25 key passes.

The 23-year-old is also useful from a defensive point of view too though, and he has also won 15 tackles and made 12 interceptions and 25 clearances.

If Heckingbottom is looking for extra quality in the middle of the park alongside the likes of Adam Forshaw, Ronaldo Vieira and Eunan O’Kane next season, he could turn to the highly-rated Potts.

Tom Bradshaw

If Leeds fail to go up this season and Heckingbottom is looking to bring a new striker to Elland Road in the summer, he could do a lot worse than take a look at Bradshaw.

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The Wales international has impressed for Barnsley since making the step up from League One in the summer of 2016, and he has nine goals in 34 appearances for the Tykes this season.

The 25-year-old showed during his time with Walsall that he can score any type of goal and is willing to put in the work for his team, and he could prove to be a useful addition to the Leeds frontline next term.

Would you want any of these, Leeds fans? Let us know below.

According to an interview with Spanish radio station Radio MARCA, Everton forward Sandro Ramirez says he wants to stay with Sevilla next season having joined them on loan until the end of the campaign in January, and Toffees fans have been quick to have their say on the news.

The 22-year-old only moved to Goodison Park last summer from Malaga, but he endured a nightmare first-half of the season after struggling to adapt to life in the Premier League, and he only made 15 appearances in all competitions under Ronald Koeman, David Unsworth and then Sam Allardyce, scoring once.

The attacker told Radio MARCA: “I’ve been here for two weeks and I want to continue next season at Sevilla. I’m really where I want to be.”

Everton supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on Sandro’s comments, and while one said “hate Sam”, another said “good for him”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

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Chris Coleman says Sunderland’s form is painful, but escaping the drop is not impossible.

The Black Cats were outclassed at home once again on Tuesday night as Aston Villa romped to a 3-0 win at the Stadium of Light.

“It’s painful, it’s brutal at the moment,” the Welshman said, as per Chronicle Live.

“There’s still a chance for us, we keep on refusing to take it, and we keep on digging holes for ourselves, but there is still a chance we have to keep fighting.”

The Black Cats have now picked up just one point from their last four home games, and Coleman was brutally honest about the team’s performances.

“It’s the goals we concede,” he sighed. “It’s hard to take when you give away goals like that.

“They are a good team Aston Villa, they are going to be there or thereabouts, but you don’t have to give them goals – they can earn goals themselves.”

The home side were set to go into the break 1-0 down, but a scrappy goal for Villa’s James Chester doubled the visitor’s lead in first half stoppage time.

“How many times have I sat here after we have conceded the second goal seconds before half-time? It’s a bitter pill to swallow for us.”

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To make matters worse for Sunderland fans, Lewis Grabban scored the opener for the visitors. Grabban is Sunderland’s top scorer in the league this season – he left in January.

Still, Coleman says there is light at the end of the tunnel, and his side can do the improbable.

“I feel the negativity, I feel the pull of it because it is such a big club heading in the wrong direction, and to turn it round is incredibly tough.

“But it is not unthinkable, it is not undoable, it is not impossible.”

Sunderland travel to London to take on QPR this weekend before a home tie with Preston and a trip to playoff hopefuls Derby County.

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“I can handle it, I’ve had plenty of slaps in the face, plenty of failures, loads of defeats, but there is a manner in which you lose,” Coleman said.

“I have to get them ready for QPR because that’s the one good thing about the Championship, the games come thick and fast, and there is another one just around the corner.

“Maybe it is good that it is away from home because we don’t perform here, not enough.”

Sunderland’s home form is certainly cause for concern for Coleman, but if they can pick up three points at QPR it would be a huge boost going into the tie with Preston next weekend.

Sunderland fans, do you think you can stay up? Let us know your thoughts…

As reported by The Daily Record, Celtic have yet to decide to on the futures of derby heroes Scott Bain and Odsonne Edouard, with both currently due to leave the club at the end of the season.

What’s the story?

Scott Bain is currently on loan from Dundee, but his contract at Dens runs out at the end of the season and it seems unlikely he’ll still be with the Dark Blues next term.

The Hoops hold an option to buy Odsonne Edouard from Paris Saint-Germain, though with that option reported to be for a fee of around £7m, how feasible that would be is another matter.

The Daily Record report that the club won’t be rushed into a decision on either and are set to wait until closer to the end of the season before deciding whether to make their move.

Are the club missing out on not making an early move for the duo?

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Are they waiting too long?

With so much money on the line in the potential Edouard deal, it makes sense that Celtic would wait for the season to play out before making a final decision on the young Frenchman. After his stunning winning goal away to Rangers, it would be tempting to rush in and sign him up, but there’s plenty of football left and while impressive in bursts, the striker’s form has been inconsistent this season.

Bain on the other hand has a proven track record of being a reliable goalkeeper in the Scottish Premiership and after his wonderful debut at Ibrox, the Hoops should already be working on a deal to make his stay in Glasgow a permanent one.

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In his case, the likes of Hibernian are still reported to be interested and if the Hoops take too long in making their decision, Bain might favour stability more than the promise of life at Celtic Park.

Hibs are unlikely to be the only suitors for his signature either and after clearly showing he has the right mentality to shine for the Hoops, it’d be a shame to see him leave the club so soon.

Tottenham Hotspur will have a big mental battle to overcome following Tuesday night’s Champions League exit.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men were in a strong position heading into their last 16 second leg against Juventus at Wembley.

The team fought back from 2-0 down to secure a 2-2 draw in Turin, giving the North London outfit two away goals.

On Tuesday, the night started off perfectly for Tottenham as Son Heung-min put the team 1-0 ahead in the 39th minute.

Spurs looked in control, but the shape of the game shifted after the break when Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri switched his team’s formation to 4-4-2.

Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala scored inside three minutes and held on to send Juve into the quarter-finals of the competition.

Tottenham have not won a trophy since the 2007-08 season when they lifted the League Cup, and they have fallen short ever since.

Former Arsenal player Paul Merson believes that the team will be suffering with a “hangover” when they take on Bournemouth in the Premier League at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday.

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Even though the pundit has tipped Spurs to win 2-1 in his Sky Sports predictions, he thinks that there could be a few nervy moments for Pochettino’s players.

“There’s got to be a Champions League hangover for Tottenham. They were cruising along, 1-0 up, and then three minutes later they’re out. It’ll have an effect. They’ll have one eye on next week in the FA Cup, and another season without winning anything.

“I think Spurs will win, but if Bournemouth are on it they could get something, most definitely. They have a go, they open up and have a go. Sometimes they get punished for it, but sometimes it pays off. I like the way they play.”

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Newcastle United midfielder Mohamed Diame has insisted that his team are not yet safe from the threat of relegation.

The Magpies have only lost one of their last six Premier League matches, with that solid run of form leaving the team in 13th position in the table.

That said, Rafael Benitez’s side are only four points clear of the bottom three, and defeat at home to Huddersfield Town this weekend would put them in a difficult position.

Diame, who has scored twice in 23 Premier League appearances during an impressive season, has claimed that little details will play a key role in determining whether Newcastle survive.

Diame told the Chronicle:

“We’re in a good place but we know we aren’t safe yet. There are eight games left, we’re doing well and we need to keep going now.

“Two or three months ago we were making small mistakes but we worked on them. We need to keep working on those details because we know that they might make the difference.”

Newcastle have won eight, drawn eight and lost 14 of their 30 Premier League matches this season – scoring 30 times and conceding 40 during an inconsistent campaign.

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Benitez’s side have won their last two league fixtures at St James’ Park, however, and are unbeaten on home soil in the top flight since Manchester City beat them back in December.