Liverpool threaten knockout blow to Arsenal's Premier League title challenge

LIVERPOOL: Arsenal must stop a Liverpool juggernaut, inspired by the impending departure of Jurgen Klopp, if the Gunners are to maintain Premier League title aspirations at the Emirates on Sunday (Feb 4).

Liverpool restored a five-point lead over Arsenal and Manchester City, who have a game in hand, with a dominant 4-1 destruction of Chelsea on Wednesday despite missing Mohamed Salah due to injury.

The Egyptian will again be absent, but Klopp's men have shown no sign of missing their top goalscorer since he departed to represent his country at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Diogo Jota opened the scoring against Chelsea to take his tally to four in the last four games.

Darwin Nunez did everything but score in midweek as the Uruguayan set a record as the first Premier League player to hit the woodwork four times in one match but he teed up Luis Diaz to round off a night to savour for the home fans at Anfield.

Klopp is determined that the news of his exit at the end of the season does not become a distraction as Liverpool remain in the hunt for trophies in four competitions.

So far it appears the Reds are inspired to send their boss out on a high and Klopp is blessed with a wealth of options thanks to a combination of rising stars and returning veterans.

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson made their comebacks off the bench against Chelsea, but the former has a huge challenge to get back into the team after Conor Bradley's man-of-the-match performance.

The Northern Irishman scored his first Liverpool goal and provided two assists from right-back against Chelsea.

"It is a joy to watch him," said Klopp of the 20-year-old. "The academy is doing an incredible job."

Arsenal's cup exit rounded off a run of three consecutive defeats