Liverpool v Arsenal offers tasty start to festive feast

LONDON : The Premier League will serve up its traditional festive feast of action but few games will be as eagerly-anticipated as first-placed Arsenal's trip to second-placed Liverpool on Saturday.

As Christmas crackers go, this one takes some beating as the two sides that appear most likely to relieve a stuttering Manchester City of their crown face off at Anfield.

Twenty eight Premier League games will be crammed in 12 days starting with Aston Villa's home clash with bottom club Sheffield United on Saturday when victory would send Villa top.

While Unai Emery's side have emerged as genuine title contenders after 15 successive home league wins, Arsenal and Liverpool are still regarded as City's biggest rivals.

Arsenal have not won a Premier League match at Anfield since 2012 and have endured a some heavy beatings in the interim period although they did draw 2-2 in April having led 2-0.

But Mikel Arteta's side are on a run of five wins in six league games and there is mounting belief they can go one better than last season when they faded in a two-horse race with City.

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp is under no illusion that Arsenal are a far more dangerous beast these days.

"We are going to play probably the strongest team in the Premier League, Arsenal," he said after his side's 5-1 defeat of West Ham United in the quarter-finals of the League Cup on Wednesday.

"They are really physically strong. They didn't get worse with Declan (Rice) in the team, let me say it like that!"

England midfielder Rice, Arsenal's record signing when he joined from West Ham in the summer, has given the Gunners another gear and is justifying the 100 million pounds fee with a string of commanding displays.

Liverpool were held to a 0-0 draw by