Liverpool face Arsenal on Friday night, in a real test of their top four credentials.
But will all Reds' fans be around to see the matches' finale?
Liverpool fans have been warned to expect travel chaos after their Premier League clash at the Emirates, with the last direct train from London to Liverpool departs Euston Station approximately half an hour before the match finishes.
It comes on a day where Virgin Trains are running a reduced service out of the capital as part of industrial action across certain dates throughout December and January - meaning some fans could also face issues getting to London.
The final service to Liverpool, which leaves the capital at 9:07pm, is has always been the last direct train and is not influenced by the strikes.
Here's what Jurgen Klopp makes of their fixture at the Emirates, including some important injury news...
Klopp's Lallana vow
JURGEN Klopp has vowed to ease Adam Lallana back into action gently after his latest comeback.
Lallana, 29, came on as a substitute in Liverpool’s 4-0 win over Bournemouth on Sunday to make only his second appearance of the season.
The England midfielder broke down when he returned from his thigh injury against Chelsea last month and Klopp says he will not rush him back.
“He’s back and that’s good,” said the Reds boss. “He needs more minutes and we have to see how we managed that.
“He’s not ready for three games of 90 minutes in a row, but he is ready to help us in a specific way.
“Hopefully we can build up his match fitness and that’s the only thing he is missing now.
“When he was on the pitch, everyone could see the player he is.”
Lallana was booked within seconds of coming on and Klopp said:
“He was aggressive!
“It was only 10 seconds until he got a yellow card. I could not see because the Bournemouth physio was in the way.”
Some match facts
- Arsene Wenger’s Gunners have won 13 of the last 14 league matches at the Emirates Stadium, with their only loss coming against Manchester United this month.
- Fourth-placed Liverpool have won 19 of the 51 Premier League games between the two sides while Arsenal have 15 wins, nine of which have been at home.
- Petr Cech needs one clean sheet to reach 200 in the league. He has nine clean sheets this season but has conceded 14 goals for Arsenal in five games against Liverpool.
- Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud, who has scored seven league goals this season, is out of the match with a hamstring injury.
Some interesting stuff
Key points from Klopp
Right then. Key pointers:
- Joel Matip is available for Arsenal, so too is Daniel Sturridge. Adam Lallana good to go once more.
- Alberto Moreno remains absent.
- Klopp delighted with recent defensive record, thinks balance of the team has been excellent.
- Wants Oxlade-Chamberlain to be more decisive in final third.
- Won’t move for a centre-half for the sake of it in January
- Ready for whatever plan Arsenal have
MERRY CHRISTMAS
And with that, Klopp’s gone.
He says Merry Christmas, exits stage right, and bids adieu.
Key points up next.
Lallana good to go...needs games
As for Adam Lallana, he could feature again having made his comeback at Bournemouth.
But Klopp says while he needs minutes, he can’t be expected to play three games in a week yet.
“His return was impressive. 10 seconds until a yellow card?
“He’s back, but he needs to collect minutes now. He is not ready for 3 games 90 mins in a row...”
Defence of Moreno - and injury update
Alberto Moreno now being used as an example.
“For example, Moreno played a great season then we had Sevilla and people did not hesitate to say ‘that’s why you should have signed a new left back!”
“Wow, I thought, if people said that about you.....”
Moreno won’t play against Arsenal, he’s still injured.
“Unfortunately Alberto is not even on the pitch. He needs a few weeks.”
On defending & buying a defender...will he in January?
“All what we are doing has influence on how I think. That’s how it is!
“Yes (the defensive record) has influence - but I am not sure which way! You will have to wait and see.”
So will he sign a defender in January? Or will he not?
“What, because our defensive record has been good, I don’t need to sign a defensive player or something like this? That will never stop, until we do it!
“I love the game, but I don’t think the solution is always to sign a new player.
He really isn’t a fan of just buying players for the sake of it.
“When we defend well, I’m happy and when we defend badly I am not but I don’t think the solution is just to sign a player like that.
“I am a supporter but I cannot be a supporter in this way - I cannot change my mind like that.”
More on Ox
“We do a lot of things differently, a player has to adapt to that.
“I don’t think he has played three games in a role, that helps. But he is just in a good way.
“And a good lad, fantastic in the dressing room and good on the pitch. That makes him a good package.”
How about differences between he and Mo Salah’s adaptation?
“The difference with Salah/Ox is that Salah came in pre-season.
“Alex came in the middle, and had to adapt in a much more busy time. Mo came in and it was smooth.”
Klopp wants more decisive Ox however
“The biggest improvement (Ox) has is being involved in goalscoring situations.
“He has it in him, but he maybe hasn’t been asked to do that so much (at Arsenal).
“There, the two decisive players were Sanchez/Ozil”
Goals, goals, goals then for the England man!
Ox's retun - Klopp's happy with him
It’ll be interesting to see what reaction Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain gets at his old club.
He played for Arsenal in the 4-0 earlier this season.
Now he wears Liverpool colours. Will he start?
“He had to adapt but he did well from the first day. It’s difficult. You cannot just play a little bit, you don’t know your mates.. It’s all different.
“I was happy about his involvement, but since then he became more and more a Liverpool player.
So far we were lucky and he is really fit.”
Arsenal...A 'complete' side
“They are able to do everything. They can change styles, they played a lot of long balls against us. Whoever will play, they have a strong side.
“On one hand we have to defend in the best game we can and if there are any gaps we have to use them.
“We go there to perform and get as much as we can.”
Klopp on Arsenal
Arsenal...like Liverpool...a team that likes to attack.
Are they similar?
“I’m not sure there are a lot of similarities (between teams).”
An interesting take on how Arsenal try to play against the Reds from Klopp too. A bit...direct?
“A lot of the time against us, Giroud played from the beginning.
That says a lot of Arsenal’s style against us.”
It's all about balance
“We are a team that is very offensive-orientated, but that doesn’t mean you have to give any space away.
“The boys do the jobs now much more often.”
Improved defensive record
Liverpool have impressed recently defensively.
They’ve conceded just two from nine games in open play recently.
What does Klopp put it down to? Changes?
“It’s not that we said ‘okay from now we do it differently’. The boys needed to be more away of different situations.
“It’s not really a change, to be honest.
“The boys needed to be more aware of diff situations, all the players, not just defenders.
“We need to be much more responsible in different moments. We did this. We conceded nine goals in two games, other than that it was not too bad.
“You were all talking about this because we didn’t sign a centre-half in the summer.
“Even against Bournemouth when Defoe hit the post, that was not good defending. Not from the centre-halves, earlier.”
Return of the Mat!
Joel Matip was missing on the south coast last week.
But he’s back in training confirms Klopp.
Daniel Sturridge is ill though. :(
“Matip was back in training yesterday. We have some little reactions from last game, need to wait a bit with different players.
“I’m not sure he’s ready for Arsenal but the games coming up, (I’m) pretty sure.”
“Apart from Sturridge (ill), only long-term (are missing).
“Daniel Sturridge is a little bit ill, but even he could be back.”
Here we go
No time for any festivities today.
We’re right into it.
Klopp’s here...and the words are flowing already...
Afternoon all
It’s that time of the week again.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp faces the press to preview his side’s clash with Arsenal.
It’s been a good week for Klopp, having seen his side destroy Bournemouth on Sunday.
Mohamed Salah continues to impress, Coutinho is thriving and the defence have conceded just twice from open play in nine matches.
But now, a big test.
For all Arsenal’s supposed struggles, they’re formidable foes at the Emirates.
Can Liverpool roll away with three points?
We’ll find out Friday.
Before then, time for Klopp...