You Bet | Arsenal face acid test in showdown with Reds in Premier League
Gunners' home record is shaky as they take on Liverpool, who won their opening two games
The English Premier League features another early showdown with potential consequences for the title race when Arsenal face Liverpool on Monday night - the third clash already this season between two of the big six teams.
The first two - Manchester United v Tottenham and Manchester City v Chelsea - were both won by the home team and Arsenal are strong favourites to continue that trend.
There are a couple of issues with Arsenal. One is their tendency to throw in a poor performance, as they did in a 2-0 defeat by West Ham in their season opener. When his team lost 1-0 at home to Swansea late last season, Arsene Wenger said it was an "accident", but those slip-ups have become worryingly commonplace at the Emirates stadium.
Shutting out Arsenal is the key to success for opponents, as the Gunners have won 14 out of 16 home and away when scoring in the league in this calendar year
The Swansea defeat was followed by a goalless draw against Sunderland and the bad start to the new season means Arsenal have won only one of their last five home games.
The other issue is their record against better-quality sides. Home defeat by Monaco cost them dearly in the Champions League last season and it was a similar story in the Premier League, with only two wins at home to the top eight (along with three draws and two defeats).
One of those wins was 4-1 to Liverpool in April, which was their ninth consecutive league victory, but has been followed by four failures to score in their last five games at the Emirates.
Shutting out Arsenal is the key to success for opponents, as the Gunners have won 14 out of 16 home and away when scoring in the league in this calendar year, and that is one of the most important factors to weigh up in Monday's match.