An excellent midweek win sets the stage for Liverpool’s top of the table clash against Arsenal on Saturday evening. The Reds ran over West Ham 5-1 to make it into the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup. Next they’ll be welcoming Arsenal to Anfield to battle for the top of the table.
Liverpool are only one point behind the league leaders, and a win on Saturday would catapult them back into the top spot. They’d already jockeyed their way there a few weeks ago, but a disappointing draw against Manchester United put them once again on the back foot.
Virgil van Dijk has been tasked to lead the team as their new captain in this tight title race season, and he vows to do anything he can to ensure success for Liverpool.
“[Arsenal] are very good, they are a very good team in every aspect,” van Dijk said about their opponents.
“I think they are very good and we have to be very good as well at the weekend to win the game. But I love to look at my own team and I love to look at what we can bring to the table, and we have a lot to do as well and we can make it very difficult for them too.
“I’ve got massive respect for them. But I want to win the game and we’ll do everything in our power and my power to do so.”
The Liverpool faithful attending on Saturday at the newly expanded Anfield stadium have their own job from Jürgen Klopp while van Dijk does his. He has implored the crowd to amp up the atmosphere to increase their “twelfth man” advantage.
“Arsenal didn’t play this week, they prepare for this game and anyone who knows about them knows they will be prepared,” Klopp said. “So we need Anfield on their toes from the first second without me having an argument with the opposition coach or whatever.”
Anfield has seen some historic victories against Arsenal over the years. Hopefully on Saturday, we’ll get another big one to talk about.
