Blog: Klopp nous provides hope for Anfield clashes

Had he been given the choice, surely Jurgen Klopp would have chosen to approach two of Liverpool's biggest games of the season under far kinder circumstances.

Injuries to key players - and lots of them - have made our manager's life rather difficult over the last few weeks. It's not ideal to have a number of first-team stars sidelined by hamstring problems and other big names absent ahead of the visits of Arsenal and Manchester United, but that's football. It's about working with what you've got.

Klopp is learning that the winter fixture list in England is unforgiving to say the least. But as Liverpool fans, our optimism shouldn't be dampened - the German has proven in his short spell on Merseyside already that he is the man for the big occasion. He knows how to motivate his players and is tactically as proficient as any coach in the country.

Victories at Chelsea and Manchester City under Klopp have proven we can turn it on when it matters, and as it stands Arsenal are the top team in the Premier League. So this will be a big test for both sides and it'll make interesting viewing to say the least.

Our last Premier League game seems quite the distant memory given our win at Stoke City in the first leg of the Capital One Cup semi-final last week, and the trip to Exeter in the FA Cup on Friday night. Klopp used the clash at St. James Park to hand his first team a much-needed break ahead of the Arsenal fixture, but we'll see a host of returns on Wednesday.

Long-term concerns Joe Gomez and Danny Ings have been joined on the injury list by Martin Skrtel, Dejan Lovren, Philippe Coutinho, Divock Origi and Daniel Sturridge for the match with Arsenal, but encouragingly a number of players are pushing for a return to the starting line-up after injuries of their own.

It's expected to remain touch and go right up until kick-off time for a several of them, but new signing Steven Caulker should be drafted straight into the squad. A warm Liverpool welcome to our new loanee.

The Reds may not have beaten Arsenal in the last four meetings, but a 5-1 victory in this fixture two seasons ago is as sweet as it gets. Klopp will be hoping for a similar start on Wednesday night to that day in February 2014, and given the manner of our win at City it's not beyond all realms of possibility.

Of course, it's wrong to expect such a performance. Arsenal are playing with a steel they've lacked for the best part of a decade, and all credit to them for it. But while the Gunners will be looking to make a statement in their pursuit of the title, Liverpool will be looking to prove a point themselves.

There's no better preparation for a big game than winning a big game. And we've got two almighty big games on the horizon.

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