Liverpool v Arsenal: Who has the edge?

As both teams prepare for the Champions League quarter final showdown at Anfield, every Liverpool and Arsenal supporter will have their own version of what will happen.

European knockout ties at Anfield seem to invariably end up with Liverpool going through. However, after the magical scenes in the San Siro, Arsenal will be confident of causing a minor upset.

So instead of making a prediction (their last three encounters have ended 1-1), let us have a look at what we know and which stats both sets of supporters will be looking to for positive signs.

We’ll kick off with the hosts:

- In 30 games at Anfield in the Champions League, the visiting team have scored more than one goal only three times – the last team were Galatasaray back in September 2006

- 21 of Fernando Torres’ 28 goals this season have come at Anfield.

- Arsenal have failed to score in four of their last seven Champions League away games.

- Dirk Kuyt has scored three goals in his last four cup games for Liverpool (Champions League & FA Cup)

- The only team to score more than one goal in the first half this season against Liverpool are Havant & Waterlooville in the fourth round of the FA Cup back in January

- Peter Crouch has scored five goals in five league starts against The Gunners.

However, Arsenal’s stats indicate Liverpool will have reasons to be worried:

- Arsenal have never failed to score against Liverpool in their last eight encounters in all competitions

- In 52 games this season, Arsenal have only failed to score five times, including twice in the Champions League (at Slavia Prague and at Emirates v Milan)

- Arsenal have kept nine clean sheets in their last 13 away games in the Champions League

- The Gunners have scored six of their last seven goals from set-pieces while Liverpool have conceded seven of the last 10 goals from dead-ball situations

- Arsenal won at Anfield in both domestic cup competitions last season, scoring nine goals in the process.

The man in black is Peter Fröjdfeldt and Arsene Wenger will be pleased. The Swedish referee has overseen three Arsenal games in the Champions League in the last three seasons.

The verdict? Three wins, including the 2-0 defeat of Juventus at the quarter final stage back in the 2005/06 season when The Gunners made it to the final.

He also sent off three non-Arsenal players in the process – Juventus’ Jonathan Zebina and Mauro Camoranesi and Hamburg’s Sascha Kirchstein in Arsenal’s 2-1 win there last season.

Now let battle commence.