Former Arsenal star Anders Limpar makes surprise Everton prediction

Former Arsenal and Everton star Anders Limpar is confident David Moyes’ side are capable of causing an upset in Saturday’s crucial Premier League match.

The Gunners, fresh from last night’s 1-1 Champions League draw against Bayer Leverkusen, will have the opportunity to open up a 10-point lead over Manchester City who play against West Ham in the late kick-off.

Mikel Arteta’s resilient side have responded to a dispiriting draw against Wolves to reel off three successive wins in the Premier League which has helped get their title tilt back on track.

Everton, meanwhile, have enjoyed a solid campaign under David Moyes and have quietly crept into eighth place and are threatening to challenge for a European place.

Back-to-back wins over Burnley and Newcastle has helped to restore confidence after damaging defeats against Manchester United and Bournemouth.

Everton boast a dismal record at Arsenal but Limpar believes they are capable of throwing a spanner in the works and derailing the north London club’s season.

‘Everton have been so good away from home this season,’ he told FruityKing. ‘They actually beat Aston Villa away and we’ve had a great run of games in which we haven’t conceded a goal so why can’t they win at Arsenal? 

‘Arsenal away is the one game that every team in the whole Premier League doesn’t want to play this season, and it’s up to Arsenal whether Everton can cause them problems.

‘They are going to have to take their chances and score goals because they will have the possession and they have great players like Bukayo Saka who must turn up and perform.

‘So how can David Moyes make sure Everton are a threat to Arsenal? I don’t think you want to sit back when you play away against Arsenal. Say to one of your guys like Beto or Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to see how they can cause problems at corners.

‘Can Everton get some possession in Arsenal’s half? Over the 90 minutes, you’re going to be chasing the ball so the game plan should be to have a go because if you played this game 10 times, Arsenal would probably win eight of those games.

‘Everton can’t sit back and let Arsenal play. Go and have a go!’

Limpar joined Arsenal in the summer of 1990 as a virtual unknown from Cremonese and made an immediate impact, decorating a title-winning campaign during which George Graham’s side lost only once.

It has been a different story for his compatriot Viktor Gyokeres who has found adapting to the rigours of English football far tougher.

‘I think while there have been some good moments from Viktor Gyokores, he could have been slightly better,’ said Limpar when asked to assess the Sweden international’s season. ‘Over 28 or 30 games he’s not actually come into the team and its system.

‘He’s slowly beginning to adjust to the Premier League’s pace and he’s been tremendous in a couple of games but then at times, he’s been not so good with the ball bouncing off him. He can’t suck the ball in and distribute the play to other players, to the wingers and stuff like that.

‘I think he needs to improve his contact with the ball. He must get much, much better at receiving the ball.

‘I can’t demand any more effort from Viktor. We have seen in the last five or six games that he can have an impact but in a lot of other games he has lacked that, and for some reason the other players haven’t passed to him when he has been on to make a run, so the whole team needs to improve in that sense.

‘It takes a while for a player to fit into a team and there’s not many players in world football who can just slot into a team but over the last couple of games you can see the true Viktor emerge because the more they play together, the more they will find each other.

‘It’s a little bit harsh to say Arsenal need to sell him in the summer or we need to bring in another number nine. It’s too soon to say that in my opinion.’