Pep Guardiola believes there is still more to come from in-form winger Jack Grealish, who now feels he belongs at Manchester City after taking a season to settle in.

Grealish initially struggled for consistency after making a club-record £100million move from Aston Villa in 2021, but the England man has been excellent for City in recent weeks.

Grealish has already bettered his total of six Premier League goal involvements from last season, contributing to nine goals this term (four goals, five assists) – eight of those coming since the World Cup.

Kevin De Bruyne (20) is now the only City player to have assisted more goals than Grealish's eight across all competitions this season, and he both scored and assisted in last week's 4-1 thrashing of Liverpool.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Guardiola said of Grealish: "He's playing really good this season. But at the same time, like he knows, we want more. You always have the chance to get better and better."

Asked what had changed for the 27-year-old this term, the City boss added: "I think he believes in where he belongs. 

"Now he believes he is part of it. Maybe when he arrived, he thought: 'I'm not good enough after the team won the Premier League'.

"Sometimes players adapt immediately, sometimes they need more time. 

"We knew Jack didn't come here for just one season, he's here for a long time. He's an important player for us."

Sevilla claim they have suffered "alarming" treatment at the hands of LaLiga referees this season and said the number of red cards shown should serve as an "urgent wake-up call" to league chiefs.

In an extraordinary statement issued by the club on Saturday, Sevilla pointed to the team receiving 91 yellows and 11 red cards despite committing just 329 fouls.

That aggregate of 102 cards is the most shown to any team in the Spanish top flight this term, despite 13 teams having more fouls to their name.

Sevilla sat 13th in the table after a 2-2 draw with Celta Vigo on Friday, in which Pape Gueye and Marcos Acuna were both dismissed and a 2-0 lead was relinquished in the closing moments.

This season's performance has been a frustrating one, after three consecutive fourth-placed finishes.

The club stated: "Sevilla FC want to place on record its deep concern and opposition to many of the refereeing decisions taken this season regarding the yellow and red cards issued to our players."

Sevilla said they "cannot agree with many of the decisions regarding the cards issued to our players, which in the long run has seriously harmed us in the league".

No team heading into Saturday's LaLiga games had received more red cards this season than Sevilla (Elche also had 11), while only Real Mallorca had been shown more yellows (98), which might be expected given they topped the fouls table (449).

"On average, one in three fouls committed by Sevilla FC results in a card," the club's statement added.

"Focusing on the match against RC Celta, Sevilla FC committed 11 fouls in the match and received four yellow cards and two reds, while Celta received two yellows for nine fouls committed.

"Sevilla FC are clearly not an aggressive team which is why these statistics are alarming.

"It is clear that many of these cards may have been for protesting, something that all players from all teams do, which shows that there is a lack of consistency in relation to protests or, to put it plainly, an outrageous leniency with some and a heavy-handedness with others."

Heading into Saturday's games, LaLiga had seen 108 red cards this season, compared to 28 in the Premier League, 33 in the Bundesliga, 50 in Serie A and 81 in Ligue 1.

While it used to be customary for LaLiga to see over 100 red cards brandished in a campaign, the three-figure threshold had not been passed in each of the last six seasons, with 103 reds in 2015-16 the last time such a figure was reached.

"The average figures for the Spanish league should lead to an urgent wake-up call," Sevilla added.

"La Liga is by far the league where referees show the most cards. The comparison with the Premier League, where a physical and much more contact-based style is played, speaks for itself: in the Premier League, with more matchdays played, 29 red cards have been shown to date; in La Liga, 108. More than triple.

"This is a striking difference. From Sevilla FC, we demand that these figures be analysed and that measures be taken when the decisions go against the spirit of the game.

"It is not about making excuses for the season the team is having. If Sevilla FC is where it is, it is based on sporting performance throughout the 28 league matches played, but it is about demanding equal treatment for all La Liga clubs and fairness when making decisions, something that unfortunately is not observed anywhere today."

Mikel Arteta is confident his Arsenal players can cope with the "jungle" atmosphere Liverpool's supporters will generate at Anfield in Sunday's Premier League contest.

Arsenal have won seven Premier League games in a row to retain a healthy lead at the summit, but they have lost each of their past six top-flight visits to Liverpool.

Gunners boss Arteta was captured playing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' during training ahead of Arsenal's most recent trip to Anfield in November 2021, which resulted in a 4-0 loss.

Speaking ahead of his side's latest visit to the red half of Merseyside this weekend, Arteta explained that rather unorthodox ploy.

"You have to prepare the players, you have to tell them what they're going to be facing and you have to recognise that," he said. 

"An error and a mistake comes after an opportunity to do that and develop yourself. You have to expose yourself.

"You cannot train the players in the zoo and then go to the jungle on Sunday. It's impossible."

While Liverpool are struggling down in eighth place, 29 points adrift of Arsenal, they have won five of their past six home league games.

The Reds have won the past three of those games by an aggregate 11-0 scoreline and have not conceded at Anfield in their last seven hours and 26 minutes of league football.

But Arteta believes his side, who are looking to complete their first league double over Liverpool since the 2009-10 campaign, can cope with whatever is thrown at them.

"The team is full of enthusiasm and positivity," he said. "We know that we have a big challenge. 

"But it is a big opportunity to go to Anfield and do something we haven't done in many years and that is what [has been] driving the team the last few days."

Fabinho is optimistic Liverpool can replicate their strong finish to the 2020-21 season to secure a top-four Premier League finish this term, declaring: "We are still a big team".

Liverpool sit eighth in the table following a run of three league games without a win, 10 points adrift of Newcastle United and Manchester United in third and fourth respectively, with just 10 matches remaining this campaign.

Having gone close to winning an unprecedented quadruple last term, Liverpool are now in severe danger of missing out on Champions League football for the first time since an eighth-placed finish in 2015-16, but Jurgen Klopp's men have experience of snatching a top-four spot at the last.

Liverpool looked destined to finish outside the top four during an injury-hit 2020-21 season, only to win eight of their final 10 games to end the campaign in third.

Fabinho remains hopeful the Reds can put together a similar run this term, starting with Sunday's meeting with leaders Arsenal.

"We are still Liverpool, we are still a big team," Fabinho told the club's media channels. 

"The hope and the goal is to reach the top four, so if we want this we have to start winning games. It doesn't matter who is in front of us, we just have to try to win. 

"This is the goal. We had a similar situation two seasons ago. We have to keep believing, keep trying. It's not easy – at that moment we we're not too close to the top four.

"But it doesn't matter who the teams in front of us are – we have to try to win our games and the confidence will come back. I hope we will get to the top four."

Klopp's side have won their last six home league games against the Gunners, scoring at least three goals in each of those matches (22 goals in total).

Liverpool have also won five of their last six home Premier League games (D1), and Fabinho believes playing at Anfield could prove decisive against Mikel Arteta's men.

"This season when we play at Anfield, it's usually where we play our best football," he added. 

"We played good games against big teams this season – we beat [Manchester] City, we beat Manchester United at home. 

"So yes, we will try to use the crowd and try to play our best football again because if we don't play, we can't beat Arsenal." 

Ederson believes Manchester City can make this their greatest ever season by winning a famous treble.

City can reduce Premier League leaders Arsenal's advantage to five points by beating bottom-of-the-table Southampton on Saturday, with the Gunners taking on Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola's side then face Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.

City travel to Bavaria for the second leg on April 19 and face Sheffield United in an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley three days later.

Goalkeeper Ederson thinks the Premier League champions have a great chance of getting their hands on all three trophies.

The Brazil international told Sky Sports: "I think for me personally it has been a good season but for the team as well.

"We are still in three competitions and that is really important. We are still capable of winning them all.

"In the Premier League, we are behind Arsenal but with a game in hand and a game against them at home, so we are still in the race. In the Champions League, we have a really difficult game against Bayern Munich, a good team with experience in the competition.

"In the FA Cup, we are facing a Sheffield United team that are having a really good season in the Championship.

"But we are still alive in all those competitions and the team feels in a good way. We started the season really well, had that little dip, but now it feels like we are back to our best, and if we keep that up until the end of the season, I think we have a really good chance in all three competitions."

Jurgen Klopp accepts Liverpool's season has not been good enough but insists neither he nor his players are worse than last year.

Liverpool have collected one point from their past three Premier League matches and are down in eighth in the Premier League, 10 points adrift of the top four with leaders Arsenal to come on Sunday.

The Reds not only face missing out on the Champions League places for the first time in seven full seasons under Klopp, they will also finish the campaign trophyless.

It is a far cry from 12 months ago when they had already won the EFL Cup and were in contention for three other trophies, albeit ultimately only adding the FA Cup to their collection.

Klopp, who has regularly bemoaned his side's injury issues this season, is confident Liverpool can come back stronger with some smart recruitment in the transfer window.

"It is one of these moments where it is really not good – I am not native so I can't explain it better in English," he said of his side's season to date.

"You get in this whirlwind and it sucks you in that direction and all of a sudden it's like, 'wow, where are we?'

"I am not a worse manager than last year, definitely not. It doesn't mean the outcome is good enough, not at all. But I'm not worse.

"And the players are not worse players. They just play worse. That's definitely the case. But yes, with smart recruitment we will improve – definitely. That is the plan."

Liverpool have been linked with numerous players, Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham among them, but Klopp is realistic about what is possible in terms of strengthening his squad.

"The difference is whatever we do next year will never be enough from people's point of view and your [the media's] point of view," he said.

"We cannot make 24 changes and say, 'here we go' – not even 10 [changes]. But it is just that we have to make changes, smart changes, and then we go again.

"We have other moments when we think about what happens next year but this is not the moment."

Sunday's opponents Arsenal provide a source of inspiration for Klopp, the Gunners having gone from finishing fifth last season to leading the division this time around.

"I said last week that I hate the fact that I have to rely on what we did in the past," Klopp said. "I couldn't care less what we did in the past, honestly. 

"But because we can't ignore the past, it's not like we can't forget it, but if we go through this together we can have a massive benefit next year, not guaranteed but a good chance.

"So it is like it is still hidden somewhere there and we have to let it out again. Next chance for us [to do that] is Arsenal."

Kyle Walker's future at Manchester City could be in doubt after Pep Guardiola said he "cannot" play the way he wants his full-backs to play.

The 32-year-old has only started two of City's past seven games, with John Stones preferred at right-back.

Guardiola favours a system that sees his full-backs inverted, often coming inside to join the midfield as Stones did to good effect in last week's win over Liverpool.

Speaking ahead of City's Premier League trip to Southampton, the Catalan coach did not sugarcoat the reason why he has left Walker out in recent games.

"[Walker] cannot do it. To play inside, you have to make some educated movements," Guardiola said.

"He has other characteristics. He will always have pace. He will be the fastest in this room at 60 years old."

The City manager added: "The reason why is tactical. It's not because we lost faith in Kyle.

"He can play coming inside, and he has done it many times, but like in the position [against] Liverpool with Rodri and John, he will maybe need time to do it, and we don't have time."

While City have never shied away from moving on players who Guardiola feels no longer suit his team, the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss did offer Walker the chance to adapt to try to force his way back into contention.

"What they have to do is two things," he said. "Don't complain or there will be a problem. And try to do it better and better, so when I need them, they will be ready.

"Look at Nathan [Ake] this season. Last season, he didn't play one minute, and now he is undroppable. It happens.

"Nobody has a guarantee with me. They have to earn it, and sometimes we need a different shape for the way we build up or defend. Some players adapt better than the other ones.

"They take it personally, but we are not against them. We just need something and try to use it."

Chelsea and Manchester United are reportedly both in discussions with Benfica about a potential deal for striker Goncalo Ramos – although he is said to be neither team's top choice.

Ramos, 21, has enjoyed a breakout season in Portugal. After scoring eight goals in 46 appearances in the previous campaign, Ramos has replaced Darwin Nunez as Benfica's main man up top and netted 25 goals in 38 games.

He also shone on the world stage, scoring a hat-trick in Portugal's round-of-16 World Cup clash against Switzerland after replacing Cristiano Ronaldo, and despite his contract tying him to Benfica until 2026, the club are willing to listen to substantial offers.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA JOIN UNITED IN MAKING RAMOS THEIR BACKUP PLAN

According to Football Insider, Chelsea's top priority up front is Napoli's Victor Osimhen, while United have Tottenham's Harry Kane at the top of their shopping list, but both view Ramos as the ideal consolation prize.

Kane is expected to fetch a fee in the range of £100million, and Osimhen's asking price is even higher, but while Ramos has a £105m release clause in his contract, the report states Benfica will accept bids around £70m (€79m).

Improving Chelsea's chances is the fact Ramos is represented by the same agency as Joao Felix, who is on loan at Stamford Bridge from Atletico Madrid.

ROUND-UP

– Cadena SER is reporting Paris Saint-Germain have joined the race for Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham and would be able to pay him more than any other club.

– After recently making his senior debut for Italy, 23-year-old Argentine-born striker Mateo Retegui will make a move to Europe at the end of the season, with Eintracht Frankfurt and Inter showing the most interest, per Fabrizio Romano.

– Football Insider is reporting Newcastle United, Arsenal and Barcelona are all expected to make a run at signing Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Burnley have secured an immediate return to the Premier League, clinching promotion from the Championship with a 2-1 win at Middlesbrough.

The Clarets were relegated on the final day last season, ending a six-season stay in the top flight.

But they have enjoyed an inspired first season under Vincent Kompany, suffering just two defeats so far in 2022-23.

Goals from Ashley Barnes and Connor Roberts, sandwiched by a Chuba Akpom penalty, secured the decisive victory at the Riverside for Burnley.

Their 25th win of the season meant they secured promotion with seven games still to play.

Burnley chairman Alan Pace told Sky Sports after promotion was confirmed: "Vincent has done something that's very, very special.

"This was a complete surprise, this was not our plan. Vincent and I talked about it in the summer, we gave ourselves two, three years was our plan. I think what you've seen is a lot of magic coming together.

"This team is very, very good. You hear Vincent say it every week. They're surprising each and every one of us every day, they're phenomenal."

The Clarets are 11 points clear of second-placed Sheffield United, who are looking to win promotion after being relegated in 2021.

The Blades are a further eight ahead of Luton Town in third having played a game fewer.

Arsenal face another major obstacle in their quest to land a first Premier League title in 19 years when they travel to Liverpool on Sunday.

The Gunners have historically struggled at Anfield, though Mikel Arteta's men have passed most tests this season en route to opening up a healthy lead over Manchester City.

While Arsenal will be looking to continue their good form, having won seven league games in a row, it is the start of another new chapter for Chelsea when they head to Wolves.

Frank Lampard was this week appointed as caretaker manager for the rest of the season following the sacking of Graham Potter, with Chelsea way down in 11th place.

There are plenty of other big games at the top and bottom of the division this weekend, not least at Old Trafford where Manchester United and Everton face off.

United got their top-four hopes back on track in midweek and will be seeking some momentum when they take on an Everton side sitting level on points with the bottom three.

Here, with the help of Opta data, Stats Perform has provided some key insights and predictions.

Manchester United v Everton

United have dominated this fixture down the years, with their 38 Premier League wins against Everton the second most one team has over another after the Red Devils themselves against Tottenham (39 wins).

Erik ten Hag's men have won both meetings with Everton in all competitions this term – 2-1 in the league at Goodison Park and 3-1 in the FA Cup on home soil – and could make it three wins in a single campaign against them for the third time (after 1993-94 and 2015-16 seasons).

Everton have improved since Sean Dyche took charge, picking up 12 points from their nine league games under him, with that seven more than they managed in their final 12 games under Lampard.

Best bet – Everton to score at Old Trafford: The Toffees' away form this season may be terrible, as is their overall record at United, but they have scored in each of their past nine Premier League games at Old Trafford, with that the Red Devils' longest run without a clean sheet against a single opponent in the competition.

Long shot – Everton to avoid defeat: Scoring away at United is one thing; holding on for a point or more is another. Everton have won just one of their past 29 away league meetings with United, but their past three visits to Old Trafford have finished all square.

Opta prediction: United failed to win any of their six matches in the early Saturday kick-off slot last season, but they have won all three such games this campaign, including a 2-1 win over Manchester City in January. Everton have won just two of their past 31 away league games, meanwhile, and Opta's model gives them only a 20.6 per cent chance of winning at Old Trafford. United are given a 52.7 per cent chance of success, meanwhile, and the draw is rated at 26.7 per cent.

Wolves v Chelsea

Chelsea have failed to win on their past two league visits to Molineux, but the good news is that their most recent victory there came in September 2019 under Lampard.

Wolves are unbeaten in their three Premier League games against opponents from London under the watch of Julen Lopetegui, having failed to win any of their previous 11 such matches prior to the Spaniard's arrival.

The Blues have picked up just 16 points from 14 away top-flight matches, which is their lowest return after 14 road games in a single campaign since 2000-01 (nine).

Best bet – Wolves to win without conceding: Given Chelsea's form, a Wolves win this weekend would hardly be the biggest of surprises – especially considering Lopetegui's men have won their past three league games against sides starting the day above them without letting in a goal (1-0 v West Ham, 3-0 v Liverpool and 1-0 v Tottenham).

Long shot – Raheem Sterling to score or assist: The Chelsea winger has been directly involved in just one goal in his past six matches, but since the start of the 2019-20 campaign, only Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne (nine) has been directly involved in more league goals at Molineux than Sterling among visiting players (three goals, two assists).

Opta prediction: Wolves are winless in their past four Premier League games against Chelsea since beating them 2-1 at Molineux in December 2020. The Blues will be hoping the new (well, returning) manager bounce pays off and the Opta model makes them favourites to win with a 42.3 per cent backing, compared to 27.9 per cent for Wolves and 29.8 per cent for the draw.

Liverpool v Arsenal

Arsenal are facing Liverpool as Premier League leaders for the ninth time, with the previous eight occasions producing a total of 33 goals at an average of over four per game.

Since briefly surrendering top spot to Man City following a 3-1 defeat in February, Arsenal have won their last seven Premier League games. They have scored at least three goals in six of these, including the last five in a row.

Liverpool have won five of their last six Premier League home games (D1), including each of the last three by an aggregate score 11-0. The Reds have not conceded in any of their past seven hours and 26 minutes of league football at Anfield, since Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's strike for Leicester City in December.

Best bet – Mohamed Salah to score or assist: The Egypt international is expected to be recalled by Jurgen Klopp and that could spell bad news for Arsenal. Salah has been involved in 105 league goals in 105 games at Anfield for Liverpool (74 goals, 31 assists) and has scored in three successive home league appearances for the Reds.

Long shot – Arsenal to lose without scoring: The Gunners have lost on their last six league visits to Anfield, conceding at least three goals each time. They have failed to score against the Reds on 20 occasions in the Premier League era, which is their worst record against any team in the division.

Opta prediction: Arsenal won the reverse fixture with Liverpool 3-2 in the first major sign they were the real deal this season, though not since the 2009-10 campaign have they pulled off the league double in this fixture. They have a 22.6 per cent chance of doing so this weekend, according to the Opta model, while Liverpool are rated at 51 per cent to pick up the three points. A draw is given a 26.4 per cent chance of happening.

Erik ten Hag has told his Manchester United players they cannot afford to let their performance levels drop when they face struggling Everton at Old Trafford on Saturday.

United snapped a three-game winless streak in the Premier League, including a 7-0 hammering at fierce rivals Liverpool, with a 1-0 victory over Brentford in midweek.

That moved the Red Devils into fourth place, three points clear of Tottenham with a game in hand in the battle for Champions League football next season.

But Ten Hag warned there is still plenty of work to do in United's remaining 10 games, starting with this weekend's visit of an Everton side fighting for survival.

"You have to do it every game and that means preparation, but it has to be the standard," Ten Hag said of his side's mentality. "You're playing for Man United, so there's the demand.

"No ifs or buts. A player must deliver when you play for Manchester United. You must be accountable. It's about demands, so we must match standards always.

"For a player playing at the top, competing for trophies, competing for the Premier League, you have to do it always, consistently. It's our job to bring that mentality in."

Everton followed up a 2-2 draw away at Chelsea prior to the international break with a 1-1 draw at home to Tottenham, but they are only outside the relegation on goal difference.

The Toffees are unbeaten in four league games – their best run since a run of six that ended on October 1 – and boss Sean Dyche wants them to continue with the same mindset.

"It is about the mentality on a daily basis and taking that into games," he said. "We work at a certain level in training; we want that to go into every game we play.

"It's a different mindset for me and the work we do and the work to progress where we want to be. I think that work is in progress."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Manchester United - Christian Eriksen

Ten Hag revealed on the eve of the game that Eriksen will be part of United's squad for the first time since injuring his ankle at the end of January, having made a swifter-than-expected return.

The Denmark international was a key player for United prior to his lay-off, assisting seven goals and scoring one of his own in 19 Premier League appearances.

Everton - Alex Iwobi

Iwobi has gone six league games without a goal involvement for Everton, but there is no denying his influence in the side.

Among Everton players in the league this season, the Nigeria international ranks top for possession won in the final third (26), chances created (47) and successful take-ons (41).

MATCH PREDICTION - UNITED WIN

Everton have undoubtedly improved under Dyche, having collected 12 points from their nine Premier League matches since he took over, which is seven more than they managed in their final 12 under Frank Lampard.

United have won all three matches in the early Saturday kick-off slot this season, including victory over Manchester City in January, and they are unbeaten in 24 games at Old Trafford in all competitions.

The Red Devils have also lost just one of their past 29 Premier League home games against Everton, with that coming in December 2013, though each of the past three fixtures between the sides in Manchester have finished all square.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

United - 52.7 per cent

Everton - 20.6 per cent

Draw - 26.7 per cent

Christian Eriksen will return to Manchester United's matchday squad for Saturday's clash with Everton after over two months out.

The Denmark international suffered an ankle injury in an FA Cup win over Reading on January 28 after being on the receiving end of a crude challenge by Andy Carroll.

Manager Erik ten Hag was not shy in voicing his displeasure with Carroll's tackle over the following days, with it then emerging Eriksen was facing up to three months out.

That was a major disappointment for United given how quickly the Dane had established himself as a key player at Old Trafford.

But Eriksen's rehabilitation has gone well and he is in contention to play a part against visitors Everton on Saturday, meaning he will have missed a little over two months rather than being ruled out until May, as was feared.

The good news of Eriksen's return was tempered by the blow of losing Luke Shaw after he was substituted early against Brentford on Wednesday, but the midfielder was the chief focus in Ten Hag's pre-match press conference.

Asked for a squad fitness update, Ten Hag said: "Luke Shaw is not available for [Everton], and we have to see how it progresses in the coming week.

"The good news is Christian Eriksen is back in training and he will be back tomorrow in the squad."

Although United have since won the EFL Cup, progressed to the quarter-finals of the Europa League and remain firmly in the hunt for a top-four spot, their form over the past two months has been patchy.

United's win rate with Eriksen this season is 63.2 per cent, compared to 44.4 per cent without him.

Other factors have come into play with respect to United's recent inconsistency, with Casemiro also missing a significant amount of football due to multiple suspensions.

But the importance of Eriksen's timely return at a decisive moment in the season was not lost on Ten Hag.

"I think it was not for nothing," he said. "I was so angry about that tackle and he was away – at first we feared we had lost him for the whole season, but he worked very well.

"I think the medical department did really well and in togetherness he is already returning to the squad and so is available for the final stages of the season. We are very pleased with that.

"From the first [point] it was a really bad tackle and it was also a really bad injury, but he is a little bit ahead of the schedule so we are very happy with [that]."

Mikel Arteta has "full respect and admiration" for Jurgen Klopp and says there is no lasting grudge between the pair as Arsenal prepare to face Liverpool at Anfield.

Arsenal manager Arteta was involved in a touchline bust-up with Klopp during this corresponding fixture last season, which Liverpool went on to win 4-0.

The Gunners have come a long way since that match in November 2021 and enter Sunday's latest encounter on Merseyside 29 points better off than their opponents.

With Arsenal top of the table and on course for a first title in 19 years, Arteta sees no reason for himself and his players to lose their cool this time around.

"That's football," Arteta said of his previous falling out with Klopp. "After that, we hugged each other and moved on.

"I have full respect and admiration for what he and the coaching staff have done at Liverpool. We move on. 

"I reacted that day to defend our players in the best possible way. But I don't like seeing myself like this, so hopefully I won't do it again. We know we must [keep our composure]."

Arsenal have won seven league games on the spin to retain an eight-point lead over Manchester City, who have a game in hand and host the Gunners later this month.

Liverpool have taken just one point from their past three games, meanwhile, but they have won six of their past seven home league matches.

The Reds have not conceded in seven hours and 26 minutes of league football at Anfield, but Klopp accepts his side cannot rely on their home form alone to save their season.

"Anfield is not the only thing we should rely on, but it is no secret that the combination of our people, the ground and the boys is pretty good," he said.

"That is what we have to throw in, but not rely on it. I have a very good feeling we can [overcome Arsenal]."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Liverpool – Mohamed Salah

Klopp took the surprising decision to make six changes for the midweek 0-0 draw against Chelsea, with Salah among those to drop down to the substitutes' bench.

Salah should return this weekend, and he is in great form at Anfield, where he is looking to score in four straight league games for the first time since a run of six ended in June 2020.

Arsenal – Leandro Trossard

January recruit Trossard has made a big impact since arriving at Arsenal from Brighton and Hove Albion, scoring one goal and assisting seven in 11 appearances for the club.

He scored a hat-trick at Anfield for Brighton in October and could become the first player to score there for two separate away sides in a single Premier League season.

MATCH PREDICTION – LIVERPOOL WIN

This will be the ninth time Arsenal have faced Liverpool while top of the Premier League, with the previous eight producing 33 goals at an average of over four per game.

Arsenal won the reverse meeting with Liverpool 3-2 in October and are seeking a Premier League double in this fixture for the first time since the 2009-10 campaign.

But Liverpool have performed well on home soil and have won their past six league games against Arsenal at Anfield, scoring at least three times in each game.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Liverpool – 51.0 per cent

Arsenal – 22.6 per cent

Draw – 26.4 per cent

Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal must "embrace" the pressure as they continue their Premier League title charge with a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday.

Arteta's men head into the weekend with an eight-point lead over second-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand on the Gunners and take on Southampton at St Mary's Stadium on Saturday.

As they bid to hold off City and prevent Pep Guardiola's men lifting a fifth Premier League title in six seasons, Arteta suggests it is important his team relish the situation they are in and use it as fuel to get them over the line.

"We do enjoy it, we have to enjoy it," Arteta told reporters at his pre-match news conference. "We really need to embrace the moment and go for it.

"The team is full of enthusiasm and positivity, and we know that we have a big challenge but also a big opportunity to go to Anfield and do something we haven't done for many years, and that is what is driving the team."

Arteta's men head to Anfield with a dismal record in recent years, with the Gunners not taking three points away from the famous old ground since the 2012-13 season, when goals from Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla earned a 2-0 victory with Arteta playing in midfield for Arsenal.

Arteta does not feel his team should fear going to Anfield, saying: "We've been in a few grounds that we haven't won at in many years, and we've managed to do that. We're capable of doing it.

"We'll need to be better, certainly than in the second half of last year. First of all, it's a different group coming from a different position. What we need to have is courage. On Sunday, we'll try to be that team."

Liverpool have failed to hit the heights of previous seasons, knocked out of all cup competitions and sitting eighth in the league as they desperately scrap to achieve European qualification.

When asked if he was surprised by the Reds' disappointing campaign, Arteta replied: "It's more admiration because it shows the difficulty of being at the top and transforming a football club.

"It shows how hard it is to maintain that. We've all had difficult moments, but what they've done at the club is remarkable."

The Arsenal manager also confirmed the Gunners are set to be boosted by Bukayo Saka being fit to start after a bout of illness saw him drop to the bench for the 4-1 home thrashing of Leeds United last weekend.

Tottenham have hired former City Football Group executive Scott Munn as their new chief football officer.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy had been leading a thorough review of the club's "footballing activities" over the past six months in a bid to ensure "future progress and competitiveness".

The appointment of a chief football officer is considered a major step in that process, with Munn set to take charge of all football-related operations.

Munn's arrival is unrelated to Fabio Paratici's situation, with the Italian managing director of football having taken a step back pending his appeal against a 30-month worldwide ban for his alleged role in Juventus being found guilty of transfer irregularities.

If Paratici wins his appeal, which is due to be heard on April 19, he will answer directly to Munn, who also takes up a position on the Spurs board.

Confirming Munn's appointment, Levy said: "Scott has a unique and broad experience of running sporting organisations at the highest level and will take responsibility for the leadership and management of our football activities to instil best practice both on and off the pitch."

Munn formerly held a senior role with City Football Group, the ownership company that Manchester City sit within, and was also Melbourne City CEO.

In 2019 the Australian was made CEO of City Football Group China – his new position will be Munn's first in the European game.