Mikel Arteta urges Arsenal to show spirit and conviction at Liverpool

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Manager Arteta started for Arsenal the last time the north Londoners won a league game at Anfield in 2012.

But Arsenal head to face the champions off the back of a strong start to the season, and armed with new signing Eberechi Eze.

Arsenal trailed Liverpool by 10 points last season in a one-sided race for the title, but speaking on the eve of his side’s trip to Merseyside, Arteta insisted his new-look squad is ready to secure a statement win.

“Liverpool are the champions and they are the champions because they deserved to be,” said Arteta.

“They were the better team last year, the most consistent team, and the one that found ways to win in many different ways, but we want to be that team this year.

“We need to go to Anfield with that spirit and that conviction, and just be convinced that we can go to Anfield and win.

“It is a very important game because we want to continue building the momentum that we are in right now.

Going to those grounds, those stadiums, against this kind of opposition is what we want, and coming away from those big games, winning in a really convincing way, that’s the objective.”

Arteta will be without Bukayo Saka for Sunday’s blockbuster clash after the England star sustained a hamstring injury in Arsenal’s 5-0 triumph against Leeds at the Emirates Stadium last weekend.

Saka’s absence could clear the way for Eze to start his first match since he secured a transfer from Crystal Palace to Arsenal for a fee which could rise to as much as £68million.

Arsenal have spent £250m so far this summer on seven new faces and are set to add an eighth before the window closes with central defender Piero Hincapie poised to arrive on a season-long loan from Bayer Leverkusen.

New signing Viktor Gyokeres will also be looking to build on his brace in the victory over Leeds.

Arteta continued: “We have to add players who add value to things that can define football matches and with those two (Eze and Gyokeres), they are going to deliver individual actions, magic moments needed to win games.

“When you are next to Ebere, you are comfortable.

The ability he has to pick passes, to drive past people effortlessly and just to understand the timing of everything is very impressive.

“We have to put him in the positions and scenarios where he can deliver those moments which is the reason why we brought him here – to give us something different, and something unexpected.”