Parlour says Arsenal are better equipped than ever for Anfield trip

Parlour says Arsenal are better equipped than ever for Anfield tripRay Parlour believes Arsenal are ready to “go again” in their title defence have the experience and confidence to win at Liverpool on Sunday. But he insists Manchester City remain their main Premier League title rivals, regardless of the uncertainty surrounding the champions’ potential points deduction.Mikel Arteta’s side travel to Anfield facing one of their biggest tests of the season, with Parlour urging the Gunners to start aggressively and take the sting out of the home crowd.The former Arsenal midfielder knows how difficult the trip can be, having experienced some memorable battles against Liverpool during his career, and believes the Gunners are now better equipped to cope with the occasion after winning the Premier League title last season.“Now they can go back as champions,” Parlour told Hayters. “The first ones are the hardest ones to win. And as a group of players, they’ve done it now. So, they’ve got to go back there and be confident.”Parlour highlighted the importance of Arsenal’s opening spell, believing an early goal could prove crucial in silencing Anfield and allowing Arteta’s side to impose themselves on the game.“I always say, the first 15 minutes in games like that are so important,” he said. “On the front foot, you put them under pressure. You can get the first goal, big, big help in silencing the crowd.“And go from there, really. And they’ve got a lot of experienced Arsenal now, down the spine of their team. So, they know what to do. They know what they’re going to expect when you go to Anfield. And you’ve got to deal with that.”The fixture carries special significance in Arsenal’s history, with the 1989 title-deciding victory at Anfield remaining an iconic moment for the club.Parlour, who was not involved in that famous game, described it as the pinnacle of Arsenal’s history, while recalling his own standout victory at the ground.That came in 2001, when Arsenal beat Liverpool 2-1 despite having Giovanni van Bronckhorst sent off. Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg scored as Arsène Wenger’s side battled through a difficult afternoon.“We had 10 men for a long period of time. We beat them 2-1,” Parlour said. “Pires scored and Freddie scored. That was 2001 and we went above them into second place at the time.“A special moment because we battled and we never knew. And to get a result like that when we were down to 10 men, it was an amazing result.”Parlour believes Arsenal’s ability to grind out victories when they are not at their best could be decisive in the title race. He pointed to their recent narrow win over Nottingham Forest as an example of the resilience required to challenge across a full season.“You can’t always play well every week,” he said. “And Nottingham Forest was a prime example. Poor performance. Weren’t great to watch. But they nicked it 1-0 and won three points.”Arsenal have also already won away at several of the grounds where they struggled last season, underlining their progress in negotiating difficult fixtures. Parlour warned, however, that the margins remain fine and that even the strongest sides can suffer costly setbacks.The former midfielder is also keeping City firmly in the picture, despite speculation over the possible consequences of the Premier League’s case against the club.Asked whether a points deduction could turn the title race into a contest between Arsenal and Liverpool, Parlour refused to write off Pep Guardiola’s side.“For me, it’s Arsenal versus Man City at the moment,” he said.Parlour, speaking at an Arsenal community event arranged by club partners Oakley Meta which turned a local pub into Ray’s for the day, believes Liverpool have the quality to challenge, pointing to their history and attacking options, but suggested defensive uncertainty could prove a weakness.“Liverpool are just a bit flaky at the back. They do concede a few,” he said. “So, if they can shore that up a little bit better, then certainly going forward, Isak and Barcola, they’ve got good players. But I still think Arsenal versus Man City.”With the situation surrounding City unresolved, Parlour is unwilling to predict how any potential punishment might reshape the race. For now, he believes Arsenal must concentrate on their own performances while treating Guardiola’s side as the benchmark.Sunday’s trip to Anfield offers another opportunity for the Gunners to demonstrate that they have the composure and resilience to handle the pressure of a title defence and, in Parlour’s view, the confidence to come away with a result.