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Klopp: Liverpool need to improve for Arsenal showdown

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has called on his players to show even more when they resume Premier League services against Arsenal.

The Merseysiders are unbeaten in the league this season, and have won their last eight games since drawing with the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium back in November.

That run has seen them power ahead of Manchester City, who now lie seven points back after losing twice in the space of a week against Crystal Palace and Leicester City.

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Liverpool's last run-out saw them destroy Newcastle United in a 4-0 Boxing Day rout – but Klopp wants to see an improvement in Saturday's clash at Anfield.

“Arsenal are in a good moment; they have a fantastic team and a fantastic manager, so that will be really difficult,” Klopp told Liverpool's official website.

“A completely different game, of course. If we let them counter-attack like we did [against Newcastle] I don’t think we have a chance because they are really strong in that. So we have to improve so many things.

“But on the other hand, we have 51 points and that’s unbelievable. We played the first part of the season unbeaten – that’s all good and we feel it, it feels really good.

“The only little problem we have is the second part of the season starts [on Saturday]. What we wanted to do when we started in the summer was to create a basis in the first part of the season for the second part.

“We’ve created that basis and now we have to work with it. What we did so far, we will do again and again and again. We’ll really be completely focused on the next game.

“We need tunnel vision, all of us, being in the situation – dig in and try to make the best of each game. Then we will see where it leads us to.”

Saturday's Arsenal test is the first of two crucial fixtures for the Reds, who have never lifted the Premier League title since its inception in 1992-3.

The following Thursday Klopp's men will visit City's Etihad Stadium, with the current league holders keen to break their current slump and relaunch a faltering title challenge.

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