FOOTBALL fans are in for a real Christmas cracker on Saturday evening when the Premier League’s top two go head-to-head at Anfield.

Leaders Arsenal travel to Liverpool in confident mood having beaten Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 on Sunday at the Emirates Stadium.

Jurgen Klopp’s side were left frustrated, however, after being held to a goalless draw at home by Manchester United. The result clearly annoyed Virgil van Dijk, who was quick to highlight United’s defensive approach to the game after the final whistle. Well, the Liverpool captain won’t have to worry about such things come the weekend with Mikel Arteta insisting that he doesn’t send his players out onto the pitch to sit behind the ball.

Asked if the handbrake is coming off his team, the Gunners boss said Arsenal are “dangerous” when given space. He said: “I don’t know about the handbrake. Hopefully I don’t transmit them to play with the handbrake on but when you have 10 players defending in [a space of] 22 metres, you cannot run. If you run, you run off the pitch. When [you play] a team that allows you space, that wants to go man-to-man, there are huge spaces opening if you do the right things. Then we can run – and we’re a really dangerous team.”

Reflecting on how new signings such as Declan Rice and Kai Havertz are fitting into his starting line-up, Arteta added: “I think the team is clicking because they’re experiencing more and more time together. When you talk about Kai or Declan, they have played more games with us now. They understand certain things much quicker.”

Arteta also had special praise for £65million signing Havertz, who looks to have finally found his feet in north London after celebrating yet another goal in the win over the Seagulls.

“Kai’s confidence is growing and he feels more secure on the field,” said the Spaniard. “The fact is he’s scored one [and] helped to score the other one. It’s four in seven games now and he should have scored a header today as well in a really good position. But overall, his performances, the intelligence he shows on the pitch, the aggression, how he works defensively, it’s top.”

Arteta also dismissed any suggestions that he doesn’t rate defensive rock Gabriel Magalhaes, who was left out of Arsenal’s starting line-up at the beginning of the season.

He said: “Hopefully he’s not [underrated] – certainly not in this team or from me. I know his value, what he brings to the team and the love he has for defending, keeping clean sheets and being on it in every single action. What he transmits to the backline is absolutely incredible.”