Hello everybody, and welcome to another edition of the Lewnau Sports Bureau!  This week is loaded with red, Merseyside Red that is!  That’s right, I’ll be focusing on Liverpool’s dynamite double dip of Hoffenheim midweek and Arsenal at the weekend!  So without further ado, let’s delve into one of the Reds most crucial weeks of the year with these two footballing shorts!

Liverpool FC vs TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
Champions League Play-off, Leg 2
Anfield, Liverpool, England
Wednesday, August 23rd, 2017    2:45PM ET    FS1

On Wednesday night, Liverpool and Hoffenheim will be competing for a berth into the Champions League Group Stage.  The Reds, once England’s and Europe’s elite, is trying to claw its way back into Europe’s coveted competition for the first time since the 2014-15 season.  As for Hoffenheim, its attempting to earn a spot in the Champions League proper for the first time in club history!  Couple those tidbits with the fact that the aggregate score is a slender 2-1, in favor of the Reds, and you have yourself a match that is sure to provide the dramatics and hysteria that us fans yearn for.  Because Liverpool scored two away goals in the first leg, Hoffenheim must score at least two of their own, or Die Kraichgauer will be headed home with their heads hanging.  This is certainly achievable, as Hoffenheim possessed the ball 63% of the time in Leg 1 and created 13 shots.  The area of improvement would be finishing.  Just 4 of the 13 shots were on target, thus former Gunner Serge Gnabry and Croat Andrej Kramaric must be more clinical in front of goal.  As for Liverpool, the 5-Time European Champions need to perform better in midfield.  The absence of Philippe Coutinho has been ever present as the lack of offensive ball control and creativity has hampered the clubs’ start to this season.  Look for Captain Jordan Henderson to play a vital role in this match, as he’ll aim to disrupt Hoffenheim’s flow, as well as produce a log range effort or two.  

LSB Prediction:  YNWA!  You’ll never walk alone!  This is the mantra of Liverpool and it’s faithful.  Come Wednesday night, Hoffenheim will find out exactly what that means.  It won’t be 11 vs 11.  Rather, it’ll be 11 vs 54, 085 (11 + a sold out Anfield crowd)!  There’s no way that the Reds fail to get through to the Champions League Group Stage as its final hurdle is at home.  The stadium will be rocking, Jurgen Klopp will have his men infused with his winning rage, and Captain Henderson will score a screamer to cap off a wondrous Wednesday night in Merseyside!  3-0 Liverpool FC

Liverpool FC vs Arsenal FC
Premier League, Matchday 3
Anfield, Liverpool, England
Wednesday, August 27th, 2017    11:00AM ET    NBCSN

After securing Champions League Group Stage play, Liverpool will be flying high coming into Sunday’s showdown with the Gunners.  Perhaps they will be so good, that some will say good riddance to Coutinho,  believing that the Reds can succeed long term without him.  Whelp, this match could be a real indicator as to what the Fenway Sports Group will ultimately do with its on-strike talisman.  If Liverpool produce another gem, this time against one of England’s Top 6 clubs, then Coutinho may very well be sold to Barcelona for an absurd fee of in excess of $100 million.  But, if the Reds struggle once more in the Premier League, then Coutinho may very well be forced to to don the all red kit this campaign, as FSG will feel that the club can’t win titles without him.  

Meanwhile, Arsenal will be entering Anfield already wounded after a disappointing display to Stoke City last weekend.  Are we surprised though?  With Arsene Wenger at the helm, the Gunners routinely shoot blanks.  That being said, on the day, the Gunners are as good as anybody in the Premier League.  The squad is one of the deepest around with players such as Mesut Ozil, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Alexander Lacazette, Olivier Giroud, Aaron Ramsey, Petr Cech, Granit Xhaka, etc.  In addition, if Alexis Sanchez finally accepts the fact that he’s staying at the Emirates this season, then the club immediately adds its most potent piece to the club’s arsenal.  The sky’s the limit in that case, FA Cup win! In all seriousness though, Arsenal are the clear favorites to win the Europa League and are one of six teams that truly have a shot at winning the Premier League.  Thus, earning a result on the road against a legitimate Prem League rival, regardless of whether it’s a win or draw, is a real coup and something to build upon as the season unfurls.

LSB Prediction:  Neither squad is particularly stout in defense.  Therefore, I suspect that this match will see goals a plenty.  Arsenal seeking to bounce back from the lack luster outing at Stoke, will come out with plenty of energy.  Mesut Ozil will produce a sublime through ball to Lacazette for the opener, and a deft touch over Simon Mignolet for the Gunner’s second.  However, Jurgen Klopp’s gegenpress will force Mustafi and Monreal into repeated blunders at the back.  As a result, Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah, and Sadio Mane will run rampant for four.  4-2 Liverpool FC