Alonso - Reds must be at best

Alonso: Ready for Gunners test

Related links

Teams

• Liverpool

Players

• Xabi Alonso

Also see

• Liverpool fixtures
• Liverpool stats
• Liverpool forum

Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso believes the Reds will have to play as well as they did at Chelsea to defeat Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Alonso was the hero at Stamford Bridge back in October as he scored the only goal to end Chelsea's 86-game unbeaten home league run.

The Spaniard knows the Reds will again have to be at the top of their game to defeat an Arsenal side who are eight points behind the leaders in fifth.

Looking forward to the game, which is being shown live on Sky Sports 1 and HD1 at 4pm, the Spaniard said: "It is still early in the title race and we don't have to get nervous or obsessed about it.

"Arsenal is only three points and if we want to stay at the top then we need them. They are far from the top but I wouldn't rule them out.

Confidence

"But winning at Stamford Bridge gave us confidence. It was a good away performance and we fully deserved that win. Now we need to repeat that kind of display if we want to beat Arsenal - and hopefully the team is ready for that."

In an added twist to what will be an intriguing afternoon, Alonso could have been lining up for the Gunners if Gareth Barry had switched to Liverpool from Aston Villa during the summer.

The Spaniard could have left to help fund the deal - with the Gunners and Juventus interested - but the Barry transfer failed to materialise.

Now Alonso is loving his new lease of life with the Reds, featuring in every league game so far this term - 14 starts and three substitute appearances - as well as five UEFA Champions League Group D games.

Concentrated

He added: "I feel settled at Liverpool now.

"There were moments of doubt during the summer, when my future was not clear and I wondered what might happen.

"But once it became clear I was staying, I was happy and I have just concentrated on giving 100 per cent in every game since.

"I did not spend too much time thinking about Juventus and whether I might end up joining them - or the links with Arsenal."

Liverpool sit top of the pile thanks to victories over title challengers Chelsea and Manchester United, but they have been held to successive home draws against Fulham, West Ham and Hull.

Alonso added: "Beating Arsenal would show we have improved against the top teams, which is important because in the last few seasons we have struggled.

"But you get the same points as you do for beating Middlesbrough and Wigan."