Arsenal are eyeing a first win at Anfield since 2012; Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has dismissed the clash as an indicator for the title race; watch Liverpool vs Arsenal live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event from 5pm on Saturday; kick-off 5.30pm
Saturday 23 December 2023 18:04, UK
Liverpool host Arsenal in a top-of-the-table Premier League clash on Saturday night - live on Sky Sports - with the Gunners looking to end their 11-year wait for an Anfield win, while Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is simply eyeing a victory of any sorts.
Mikel Arteta has challenged his Arsenal side to end a hoodoo and win at Anfield for the first time in 11 years.
The Gunners head to face Liverpool on Saturday knowing victory would leave them top of the Premier League table on Christmas Day. But the visitors would have to end a run of winless results stretching back to September 2012 if they are to achieve that - winning 2-0 when Arteta was in the Arsenal midfield.
The Spaniard toasted four years as Arsenal manager earlier in the week and during that time he has overseen wins at Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham, while this season they beat Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium.
Next up for Arteta is to leave Anfield with three points: "We have done it at Old Trafford, we have done it at Stamford Bridge and many other places where we haven't done it for years," he said.
"This is the next challenge. Go there and win. If you want to be at the top you have to go to those places and be dominant. That's what we're going to try to do."
Arsenal led 2-0 at Anfield last year before they were pinned back and had to settle for a draw.
Ahead of that trip, Arteta had called Anfield a "jungle", while in the Amazon 'All or Nothing' documentary he was shown piping in 'You'll Never Walk Alone' while his players trained - although that led to a 4-0 thrashing to Jurgen Klopp's side.
"It's going to be a great atmosphere," added Arteta. "The two teams are in a really good moment, really good position, really strong position. They are going to be well placed to win it and to go for it. It's going to be an intense match.
"You have to play better than them. You will silence the crowd if you are dominant and better than them.
"There are certain things that we didn't manage very well (last season), the way we allowed them to run especially, that we need to correct and be much better at because when they have that momentum and space they are a really dangerous team, but we had some the big, big situations in after those moments when we could have killed the game and we didn't - when you have the opportunity to do that, you have to do it.
"They have experienced that for many years now. For this group of players now this is the third, fourth time that they have been there [Anfield].
"A few years ago, it was the first time for most of them and maybe you have to clarify and explain certain things. I don't think that is necessary now."
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists there is no point in using their clash with Arsenal as a gauge for the title race.
The Gunners arrive at Anfield just one point ahead and even though victory would see Klopp's side take top spot for Christmas, he does not believe it makes a huge amount of difference with more than half the season to go.
Liverpool have been here before only last month when they went to then leaders Manchester City and came away with a draw, since when Pep Guardiola's side have slipped to fourth after winning just one of their four matches.
"I love it the most when you are first and 55 points ahead because then it's pure joy. [But] the position we are in is not that bad," he said.
"Matchday 18? It means after that we play 20 more games so if we win it we are not through, they win it they are not through even when that is the headlines they will have to deal with.
"Actually, I didn't really think about it, I am just interested in this game tomorrow and not what it means for the rest of the season.
"The position we are in is OK, we don't feel it is exceptional and 'wow, how did we end up here?'. I really think we deserve where we are, but it is just the basis.
"There might be be a moment March or April maybe when you think 'OK, six-pointer, you win today and you have them out of the way or whatever', but that is obviously far off and nobody thinks about these kind of things.
"It is just a super-important football game."
Liverpool are currently exceeding expectations this season after finishing fifth in May and Arsenal, it can be argued, are ahead of them in terms of progress as this is their second successive campaign of being in a title race.
Klopp believes that experience, and their summer recruitment, makes them worthy rivals as they both attempt to break City's dominance.
"I thought they looked like that [title challengers] last year to be honest and then some results kicked in," he added.
"The team we faced [last season] was a super-strong team and then you bring in (Declan) Rice and (Kai) Havertz and it doesn't make you worse. (David) Raya in goal doesn't make you worse.
"Mikel could build exactly the team he wants; they are difficult to play, they are a good mix between physicality - big, strong, fast players - good technique, very good organisation, really well coached, well drilled and you see every year
they make another step.
"They really have my respect, but we want the points anyway."
Ryan Gravenberch is set to return after a muscle problem, but fellow midfielder Alexis Mac Allister (knee) and forward Diogo Jota (hamstring) are still out.
Left-back Andy Robertson, sidelined since a dislocated shoulder on Scotland duty in October required surgery, is expected to return next month.
"The problem is the shoulder is not there, the rest of the body is fine but we need to be patient a little bit longer," said Klopp.
"He can do all the physical work already, which annoys him quite a lot because it is not allowed for ball training.
"When he is allowed to go shoulder-wise I think it is a short time until he will be back and we all hope it will be January, but I don't know."
Watch Liverpool vs Arsenal live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event from 5pm on Saturday; kick-off 5.30pm
