Brendan Rodgers has said the raw memory of how Liverpool "exposed" Arsenal at Anfield will weigh on Arsene Wenger's players in tomorrow's FA Cup reunion, writes Andy Hunter .
Liverpool enter the fifth-round tie at the Emirates Stadium with increased self-belief after demolishing Arsenal 5-1 last Saturday and closing the gap on the Premier League leaders, Chelsea, to four points with a stoppage-time win at Fulham in midweek.
Arsenal were unable to respond at home to Manchester United, producing what Wenger described as a nervous display due to the manner of their Anfield defeat. A swift encounter with the team responsible for the mauling will, Rodgers believes, play on Arsenal minds as they again struggle at a defining point in the season.
“You could see Arsenal were nervous the other night, you could sense that,” the Liverpool manager said. “It’s never easy when you get exposed like that but mainly it was down to our brilliance on the day. We were outstanding.
“Usually a team will get time to get over a defeat like that so to come across us so quickly afterwards, it will be interesting to see the effects. When you put in a performance like we did against Arsenal, who were top of the league, it is one that can stick in the mind a wee bit more. But they will be motivated for this game.
“Players at this level are really competitive and will want to show the defeat is past them. They have some outstanding players, they have the quality to come back. But if we can get anywhere near the level we were at in the league game we will have a great chance of winning.”
Rodgers believes Arsenal’s impending Champions League date with the holders, Bayern Munich, will be another factor in Liverpool’s favour, when the visitors will field their strongest team possible. He said: “We want to win the FA Cup and because we don’t have a game in midweek we can go as strong as we wish to go. It might be different for Arsenal with a massive Champions League game to come.”
The Liverpool defender Aly Cissokho admitted he has never been involved a game like the 5-1 rout during his career, one that includes spells at Lyon and Valencia, and believes it has left an indelible mark. The on-loan left-back said: “It will be very tough for Arsenal after losing the game like they did last week. Arsenal like to dominate, to pass the ball a lot, but I’ve never experienced anything like that in a game between two such big teams in the first 20 minutes, with the quality of passing, the goals we scored and the atmosphere it created.
“Let’s hope no one arrived late as it would have been a real sickener if you’d missed that. It will stick in my memory and everyone else who was there.”
Rodgers deployed Luis Suarez on the right to devastating effect against Nacho Monreal last week and insists the striker’s selfless contribution “showed what a true team player he is”.
The Liverpool manager said: "He'll do what is best for the team but he'll always get himself in those goalscoring positions."
Guardian Service
