Arsenal head coach Unai Emery has admitted he would rather not have to play against Liverpool but he insists his side will take a positive approach to trying to overcome the European champions.
The Gunners suffered a gruelling 5-1 defeat to Jurgen Klopp's side on their last visit to Anfield and are without a league win against Liverpool since April 4 2015.
Both sides have started their Premier League seasons with two wins from two but the trip to Anfield should give Emery a much better sense of how near Arsenal are too challenging the top sides in the division.
However it is not an encounter he is relishing.
"For us we don't want to play against Liverpool ever," Emery said jokingly. "We'd prefer not to play against them.
"That is really our challenge, a good test. For the supporters, for all of us, going there with six points is good. Really our target is to reduce the distance to Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham and Chelsea.
"When we play against them it is a big challenge to show how we can be. Next week is going to be a very good match.
"We are going to prepare first with the adaptation to them, their gameplan and individual players and after to impose our gameplan and capacity. We are going to prepare both defensively and offensively.
"I think first is to be positive in our capacity and then work hard. I know my past is to work hard, the present and future is going to be the same. After we can win, we can lose. But above all is be positive and keep moving ahead."
Though Arsenal came within a point of a top four pkace last season they and several other sides vying for third and fourth ended up significantly off the remarkable pace set by Liverpool, who finished 27 points clear of the Gunners, and Manchester City, who earned one more point.
However some of Arsenal's most impressive displays last season came against the fellow top six sides that they had struggled against prior to Emery's appointment. Few performances were as encouraging as the hard fought 1-1 draw they claimed against Liverpool at the Emirates in November.
"This year is different, we are going to play each match and improve, to be ambitious to reduce the difference. When we play against the best teams – Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham – we are going to show all we can do.
"But really the players we have in the dressing room have good spirit and training. I am happy. I’m seeing the players and team very involved in this project."
