Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has said the only way to get a result against Premier League leaders Arsenal in this week’s “big fight” is to look forward to the challenge.
The Gunners have a six-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the table with 20 games of the season played, and haven’t lost at home in any competition since May.
It makes them a formidable opponent as Liverpool head to the Emirates Stadium on Thursday night.
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“We will definitely look at the strength that they have. They have a fantastic squad with players on the pitch and also coming from the bench,” Van Dijk said as he looked towards the meeting.
“We all know at home they are unbeaten this season, I think, in all competitions. So, it is a nice challenge and we should be ready for a big fight.”
Whether the Dutchman means a literal fight remains to be seen, but Arsenal are a physically imposing team, which has underpinned their prowess at set pieces in recent years. Van Dijk feels that Liverpool will have to go at them and match them step by step.
“I’m really looking forward to it and I think everyone should,” he added. “That is the only way to try to get a result over there. There is no reason to not look forward to it, in my opinion.”
Virgil van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk has started every Premier League game this season. / Maciej Rogowski/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Van Dijk is calling this one “another opportunity” for the Reds. They are one of only two teams to beat Arsenal this season, claiming a 1–0 victory at Anfield in August when Dominik Szoboszlai scored the late winner.
Liverpool have suffered a number of dreadful results since then, and although it’s only three league wins from seven games since the start of December, they’re unbeaten in nine outings across all competitions.
If the Reds could inflict defeat on Arsenal again, it would consolidate their position in the Premier League top four and potentially blow the title race back open again for Manchester City, who host Brighton & Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium 24 hours earlier.
Position Club Pld W D L GD Pts
1. Arsenal 20 15 3 2 +26 48
2. Man City 20 13 3 4 +26 42
3. Aston Villa 20 13 3 4 +9 42
4. Liverpool 20 10 4 6 +4 34
5. Chelsea 20 8 7 5 +11 31
6. Man Utd 20 8 7 5 +4 31
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