Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey collects the ball 10 yards inside his own half, sees Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet a few yards off his line and thinks: 'If Pele can do it, and David Beckham can do it, so can I.' The shot, however, sails over the bar as the Belgium keeper rcaes back into position.

A bit of blank verse for you there.

Resisting the urge to continue updating you in rhyming couplets, I shall inform you that Sadio Mane has had a rather muted penalty appeal rejected. TV replays show that he smacked the ball in the hand of Hector Bellerin, who kept his arms by his side.

I should point out, before anyone else does, that poetry doesn't have to rhyme.

Image source, Reuters

There's not enough poetry in these live text commentaries,

I can't think of anything to rhyme with commentaries.

Mike Whalley, August 2016

Phil Neville
Former Manchester United defender at the Emirates Stadium for BBC Radio 5 live

It's very quiet inside the Emirates. Arsenal fans talking to them outside are not a happy bunch regarding the recruitment so far.

Image source, Getty Images

Crikey. Alberto Moreno rarely looked a reassuring presence at left-back for Liverpool last season, and things don't seem to have improved a great deal. The defender reaches a long ball, but misdirects his header into the path of Aaron Ramsey, and then goes diving in a little recklessly to make a block tackle. Fortunately for Liverpool, he gets the ball.

The visitors are speeding up their attacks a little, which isn't proving easy as the pitch is a little slow. Jordan Henderson feeds a pass right to Nathaniel Clyne, attacking from the right-back position - Clyne drives in a cross-shot that Petr Cech gathers with little fuss.

Image source, Reuters

Liverpool try to press Arsenal in midfield, and Sadio Mane plays Roberto Firmino down the right. Firmino, who scored a terrific goal at Emirates Stadium for Brazil in a friendly against Chile 17 months ago, can't find the space to cross as Nacho Monreal closes him down, and the ball drifts out for a goal kick.

Image source, Getty Images

Some nice Arsenal approach play involving Alex Iwobi and Aaron Ramsey creates an opening for Alexis Sanchez here, but the shot is straight at Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet. Positive start from both sides here.

Image source, Reuters

Phil Neville
Former Manchester United defender at the Emirates Stadium for BBC Radio 5 live

We spoke about the Liverpool pressing, but Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez and Alex Iwobi are pressing the Reds defence.

• Arsenal have lost just one of the 10 most recent league and cup meetings (W5, D4, L1).
• Liverpool's only win in their last 20 away trips to Arsenal in all competitions, spanning 15 years, came in the Premier League in August 2011 (W1, D8, L11).
• There have been a Premier League record five hat-tricks in this fixture.
• Premier League matches between these sides have produced an unrivalled 16 goals in the 90th minute or later. Liverpool have scored nine of those, with seven goals for Arsenal.

Image source, Getty Images

It's Arsenal applying some early pressure. Nacho Monreal surges down the left to win the game's first corner. Dejan Lovren climbs to head clear. Defending set-pieces was a major weakness for Liverpool last season; Jurgen Klopp appears to have made it a priority to sort that out.

Big talk....

Sadio Mane makes an early burst down the left for Liverpool, but is flagged offside. Perhaps the Arsenal offside trap of the Full Monty days (see 15:38) is in full working order after all...

Arsenal in red, Liverpool all in black. It's warm out there today...

Image source, Getty Images

Phil Neville
Former Manchester United defender at the Emirates Stadium for BBC Radio 5 live

This is the game of the weekend. They want to be challenging for the league title. It'll be interesting to see how the two young lads do at the centre-back positions.

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The players are in the tunnel, limbering up with a bit of nervous energy. Here we go...

I said it was time to focus on the football, which means it's time for Great Britain's latest Olympic champion Mo Farah to talk Arsenal.

The Gunners fan has given his prediction for today's match.

"I reckon it’s going to be a big score. I’m going to say 3-2 to Arsenal," the 10,000m winner told BBC Sport.

On how he thinks Arsenal will do this season: "We’re going to finish in the top four. Manchester United, with the way it looks with Mourinho, could get the title.

"We need to sign a couple of players and we’ll see. Manager Arsene Wenger knows what he’s doing, we need to have faith and believe him. It’s going to be exciting."

He added: "I haven’t done my fantasy football team, I need to do that!"