Brendan Rodgers has urged Liverpool to take full advantage of Arsenal’s nervousness and leave them reeling for a second week in a row.
Liverpool will travel to the Emirates Stadium tomorrow with their confidence higher than at any stage of the season — after following up last Saturday’s spectacular 5-1 demolition of Arsenal with a priceless 3-2 win at Fulham.
Rodgers (below) kept his cards close to his chest about whether Liverpool, four points off Chelsea, can win the Barclays Premier League but he was emphatic yesterday about his ambition to bring the FA Cup to Anfield this season. He is almost certain to name the same team who blitzed Arsenal in the opening 20 minutes seven days ago. Rodgers believes Arsene Wenger’s side will be anxious about coming face to face with Liverpool so soon after that ordeal.
‘You could see Arsenal were nervous in the game against Manchester United the other night,’ he said. ‘It’s never easy when you get exposed like that but mainly it was down to our brilliance on the day really. 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. Normally you get time to regroup.
‘Arsenal will be motivated for this game. Players at this level are really competitive and will want to show the defeat is past them. But if we can get anywhere near the level we were in the league game we will have a great chance of winning.’
Rodgers has not reached the last eight as a boss. He said: ‘It won’t mean anything for me personally to reach the quarter-finals. We want to win the FA Cup and don’t need to rest anyone.’
Roy Hodgson will send England assistant manager Ray Lewington to watch Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling at Arsenal.
Sterling has forced his way back into contention for the World Cup after scoring twice in the slaughter of Arsenal. On February 27 England’s head coach will name his 30-man squad for the Wembley friendly with Denmark on March 5. – Daily Mail