Virgil van Dijk is relishing the magnitude of a Premier League clash with Arsenal in which he feels Liverpool will need ‘a perfect performance’.

Anfield will host a mouthwatering clash on Saturday evening as the Reds seek three points that could see them top the table at Christmas. Jurgen Klopp’s men head into the game with the Gunners buoyed by a comprehensive midweek defeat of West Ham United, the 5-1 result securing a spot in the Carabao Cup last four.

And Van Dijk cannot wait for another important occasion this weekend, one that he and his teammates are hugely determined to live up to. The captain told Liverpoolfc.com: “Definitely [Saturday is a massive game]. A very tough game ahead of us, Arsenal are in very good shape. Obviously, it’s going to be a big one and one that I’m looking forward to.

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“They are very good, they are a very good team in every aspect. I think they are very good and we have to be very good as well at the weekend to win the game. But I love to look at my own team and I love to look at what we can bring to the table, and we have a lot to do as well and we can make it very difficult for them too.

“I’ve got massive respect for them. But I want to win the game and we’ll do everything in our power and my power to do so.”

The visit of Mikel Arteta’s team is the seventh of eight fixtures for Liverpool in December, across three competitions. Seventy-two hours after the Anfield encounter, the Reds will be back on the pitch at Turf Moor as they travel to Burnley in the Premier League.