THE stakes couldn’t be higher as Arsenal prepare to welcome Premier League leaders Liverpool to the Emirates for what promises to be a ding-dong battle between two title contenders.

The Gunners will be in confident mood having won back-to-back league games: Tuesday night’s 2-1 victory at Nottingham Forest reinforcing the 5-0 drubbing that Arsenal dished out against Crystal Palace.

Liverpool, of course, present a different challenge, especially now they are on an emotional farewell tour after Jurgen Klopp revealed that he will be stepping down as their manager come the summer. At this stage of the season there are plenty of Gooners calling Sunday’s showdown a must-win for the home side.

Mikel Arteta, however, is taking a somewhat more relaxed approach to the run-in, insisting that “there is still so much football to play”.

The Spaniard has admitted on numerous occasions that Arsenal have a small squad and have often found themselves struggling for numbers this term.

Quizzed on whether that squad can continue to go full pelt for the remainder of the campaign, the Gunners boss said: “Well, we’ve done that for the first six months, we’ve been there – and there have been moments where we’ve been second, third or fourth. We were first as well for periods right before Christmas, or during Christmas, and now we have to catch up.

“The best way to do it is to continue to play how we’ve been playing, get results, get momentum, and put that to work through victories. There is still so much football to play.”

Arteta reacted angrily this week when he was asked about his own future amid speculation linking him with the Barcelona job. He made it clear he’s happy at Arsenal, and there are now rumours that Arteta will soon be extending his current contract, which runs until next summer.

“I’m in the right place,” he said. “I’m with the right people, I feel really good about it and, as I said many times, I’m immersed in a beautiful journey with this football club, these players, this staff and our people and I’m investing still a lot for them.

“There is a lot to do here, we all share that ambition, and you can feel it as well that we want more. We’re not satisfied, and the club wants to take another push and another level in everything that we’re doing. This is where we are, everybody on board to achieve it and I’m certainly on board.”

Remaining coy on talk of a new deal, Arteta added: “I’ve got a strong relationship with the board, with [sporting director] Edu, the team, with the ownership. Things come in a natural way and we’ve always done it that way. When the time is right we’ll have those discussions and I’ll think about the best way to do that.”