Liverpool manager Arne Slot knows just how pivotal this weekend's top-of-the-table clash with Arsenal is, as his side could widen the gap over their rivals to seven points with a win.
The Dutchman’s Liverpool tenure couldn’t have started much better, boasting 11 wins from his first 12 games.
Over the past week, the Reds have navigated two tricky fixtures in a packed schedule of seven games across 21 days, securing a league victory over Chelsea at Anfield and a Champions League win against RB Leipzig in Germany.
Now, another tricky test awaits as they head to Arsenal on Sunday, where a win would leave them at the top of the Premier League table, seven points better off than the Gunners.
"We all know that taking points from your competitor and nobody knows in this early stage who is going to be your biggest competitor, but I think we all know Arsenal will be one of them,” said Slot in his pre-match press conference.
“Dropping points against them or winning points against them, that is always important.
"In the life of a manager, the excitement is for 10 to 15 minutes after the game, so when you're still on the pitch, you walk off it and then you think 'OK, what am I going to say to the players next?' and then you go to the press conference and then your focus is on the next game.
“It’s a nice fixture to be in that's clear but there are many nice fixtures to be in and Arsenal away is one of them."
Arsenal will be without injured captain Martin Odegaard for the clash at the Emirates Stadium, while Bukayo Saka and Riccardo Calafiori are both doubts. William Saliba, who has been one of Arsenal’s best players the last two seasons, is also out after picking up a red card against Bournemouth last week.
Despite the potential absence of three of Arsenal’s key players, Slot anticipates a more challenging match than Chelsea’s recent visit to Anfield, although he remains full of praise for Enzo Maresca’s side, who have also started the season on a strong note.
"I said before the game and after the game, that I expected a lot from Chelsea this season and they showed it at Anfield last Sunday,” said Slot.
“They are a similar team to Arsenal when it comes to playing style, they both like to go with the fullback inside and come into the same formational as Arsenal but if you look at the last two seasons, Arsenal were far ahead of us but also above Chelsea.
"So you would assume playing Arsenal would be more difficult but let's see at the end of the season where Chelsea and Arsenal both are, normally you would expect, since it is an away game, this one is more difficult than Chelsea at home and we all saw how difficult Chelsea at home was."
