Arsenal are even better than last season, says Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp

LONDON – Amid all the talk of the European Super League, English Premier League fans will be putting that aside to look forward to a highly anticipated clash between Liverpool and Arsenal on Dec 23.

Mikel Arteta’s Gunners are on 39 points in the standings, one point ahead of Jurgen Klopp’s Reds as they prepare for the trip to Anfield in what promises to be a thrilling battle.

Liverpool will be seeking to return to winning ways in the league following last weekend’s 0-0 draw with rivals Manchester United, and will hope to build on the 5-1 League Cup quarter-final win over West Ham United in midweek.

But their manager Klopp has also admitted that Arsenal have what it takes to win the Premier League this season. “They looked like that (champions) last year,” he said.

“Our game here with them (2-2), they were outstanding until we found a way into the game. In the end, we should have won it. Now they bring in (Declan) Rice and (Kai) Havertz, that doesn’t make you worse.

“They have a good mix of physicality and technique. They are well-coached, well-drilled.

“We play a super strong team. They are even better than last season. It’s a massive game. We have to make sure we make it a proper home game, a proper Anfield experience.”

One thing Klopp had also talked about is that he wants a change in the atmosphere at Anfield, which he was not too happy about in the West Ham game, when fans showed their frustration with a number of missed chances.

“Was everyone down because we didn’t smash Manchester United?” he said after the match.

That draw with United was Liverpool’s first dropped points at home this season, and while fans may not be happy, Klopp issued a rallying cry for a more raucous atmosphere against Arsenal.

“We need Anfield on Saturday,” he added. “(Arsenal) didn’t play this week (in the League Cup), they prepared for this game... they will be prepared. We need Anfield on their toes, from the first second.”

Liverpool will want to avoid going scoreless in back-to-back league home games for the first time since March 2021. The Reds had scored in 26 consecutive Premier League matches before the United stalemate.

One positive is that their overall unbeaten run in the league against the Gunners now stands at 10 games – with six wins – so it will not be an easy task for Arsenal to clinch all three points, especially at Anfield, where the Gunners have not won in the league since September 2012.

Last season when the two sides met, the Gunners beat Liverpool 3-2 at the Emirates, but were held to a 2-2 draw at Merseyside when the Reds battled back from 2-0 down.

Klopp will have to cope without the injured Stefan Bajcetic, Thiago Alcantara, Joel Matip, Andy Robertson, Alexis Mac Allister, Diogo Jota and Ben Doak.

Over in the Arsenal camp, Arteta’s men will head into the clash on the back of a 2-0 home win over Brighton & Hove Albion, which came after a disappointing 1-0 loss at Aston Villa.

The Gunners could not find their way in front of goal at Villa Park, and it seemed like the situation would repeat itself in the first half against the Seagulls, but they came back after the break to score via Gabriel Jesus and Havertz.

“It is always great to be in the highest position in this league and we will try to maintain that, but we have to be intelligent to manage the game,” said Arteta, ahead of Villa’s home match against bottom dwellers Sheffield United on Dec 22 (Dec 23 morning, Singapore time).

“It is going to be a special atmosphere for both teams and it is strong opposition... It will be an intense match.”

On Klopp’s complaint about the Anfield fans, he added: “I don’t know – that is a question for him. We have to prepare to play and be better than them and focus on our supporters.”

Arteta will be without the services of Jurrien Timber, Fabio Vieira, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Thomas Partey, while Mohamed Elneny and Jorginho are doubts.