Arsenal go into tonight’s Carabao Cup showdown with Liverpool with Unai Emery desperately seeking a win to lift the doom and gloom mood around the north London giants.
Sunday’s awful 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace in the Premier League – which came after the Gunners had led 2-0 – would have been bad enough.
But throw in the fact that Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka threw a William Gallas-esque strop, and that players are now beginning to doubt Emery, things couldn’t be much worse for Arsenal.
Tonight’s showdown could be the perfect chance for Arsenal to bounce back. To stop Jurgen Klopp’s high-flying Liverpool will take some doing, particularly with the Reds still unbeaten in domestic football so far this season.
But the problem for the Gunners is that they may take to the Anfield pitch tonight with past horrors at the forefront of their minds.
Arsenal have loathed visiting Merseyside, the red half that is, in recent times. It was bad under Arsene Wenger and, under Emery, their record at Anfield is yet to improve.
Liverpool seem to love playing the north Londoners – and have done since the last time Arsenal won at their stadium back in 2012.
That day, Liverpool were second best. The likes of Nuri Sahin and Fabio Borini toiled on a difficult afternoon as goals from Santi Cazorla and Lukas Podolski gave Arsenal all three points.
In the time since, Arsenal have found Anfield a place to visit.
The year after the Gunners had won 2-0, Liverpool put five past them in a sctinilating attacking display.
Arsenal found themselves 4-0 down within 20 minutes with a Martin Skrtel brace, coupled with further strikes from Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge, giving the home side a hefty advantage.
Sterling got a second in the 52nd minute to make it 5-0 with Mikel Arteta managing a consolation for Arsenal from the penalty spot.
Arsenal did manage a draw later that year – denied a win only by Skrtel’s 97th minute equaliser.
And the two teams played out a 3-3 draw the following season in January 2016.
But, since then, Arsenal have got nowhere near taking anything from Anfield.
In March 2017, Liverpool eased to a 3-1 win over their rivals with Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Georginio Wijnaldum all on target.
When the two teams met five months later, Liverpool inflicted a battering by cruising to a 4-0 victory.
Firmino and Mane were again on target with Mohamed Salah and Sturridge also finding the net in a stirring win.
Last season, under Emery, things got no better for Arsenal.
Liverpool battered them 5-1 at Anfield, with Firmino getting three and Mane and Salah both on target. That, despite Arsenal initially taking the lead.
And just earlier this season Jurgen Klopp’s men were too strong for the Gunners, winning 3-1 with Salah operating at the peak of his powers on the day.
Arsenal’s record at Liverpool is a problem.
And all signs point to the north London giants losing the showdown – perhaps by some margin.
How Emery would love for that not to be the case. A win and his job at Arsenal suddenly looks a lot safer.
A defeat, a heavy defeat, and calls for the sack will only grow in volume.