Jurgen Klopp gives verdict on improving Arsenal ahead of Liverpool showdown at Emirates Stadium.
Jurgen Klopp is confident Arsenal are ‘100% back on track’ and conceded he has been impressed by the way in which Mikel Arteta has masterminded the Gunners’ revival.
Arsenal began the season with three consecutive defeats and were bottom of the table at one stage, but have quickly turned their fortunes around with the hopes of Premier League top four kicking in.
Sunday’s win over Leicester moved the north London club back into fourth place above Manchester United with games in hand, but an acid test of their credentials awaits on Wednesday in the shape of Klopp’s title challengers.
Arsenal’s win over Leicester was their fifth Premier League victory in a row. (image:Getty)
Regardless of the result at the Emirates, Klopp is confident Arsenal will continue on an upward trajectory but admits their renaissance is bad news for the rest of the Premier League elite.
‘I see them playing now and I see they have a clear idea, a clear structure and a really good team,’ said Klopp at his pre-match press conference.
‘They have a clear idea of how they want to play football, it’s possession based and is young, full of talent full of joy.
‘If you go through the line-up they have an experienced striker up front with Lacazette then three very exciting young boys behind them, then a bit more experience in the double six and then a pretty young last line and a young really good goalie and Smith Rowe not even in.
‘On top of that other guys, it’s interesting. Other teams will not like it because it is another big name back on track 100% but that’s how it looks.
‘Mikel is doing an incredible job. We have to be ready and I sense that we will be.’
Liverpool, themselves, will be looking to capitalise on Manchester City dropping two points at Selhurst Park on Monday and can move to within a point of the champions should they notch up an eighth successive win.
However, Jurgen Klopp has been refused to be enamoured with the pressure.
‘I watched them play exactly 65 minutes but for analysis reasons only – believe it or not,’ said Klopp when asked if he watched City struggle to break down Palace.
‘I don’t often have time to watch games. Crystal Palace did really well, Man City did really well. I saw the result and I was surprised.’
‘Does it help the mood? Why should it? We play Arsenal and we cannot count points away at Arsenal now. It’s easy for you but it’s 4 points. We have to play this game.
“They are much more rested than we are, obviously,” he told a press conference
“We are in a very intense period. I heard that since we last played, we’ve played 12 games, they’ve played six – oops!
“We feel all these games, that’s how it is. We try to fix it by making changes but all the players have rest. It’s a tough one tomorrow night but we’re still looking forward to it.”
Liverpool travel down to London tomorrow to take on Arsenal in one of the biggest games this season. After all, Manchester City just dropped points against Crystal Palace on Monday’s night.