Houllier warns on wounded Gunners
The Gunners have seen two legs of their hoped for treble disappear in the space of four days after losing to Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-finals and Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-finals.
And if Liverpool are to hit Arsenal’s title chances Houllier believes his players must stand up to what he expects to be a ferocious physical challenge from Arsene Wenger’s side.
Houllier is likely to field an unchanged side from the one that battered Blackburn into submission last weekend, although he may add fit-again Vladimir Smicer to his squad.
But he warns that Arsenal, in their current unpredictable mental state, will be a massive challenge.
He said: “It will be an exciting game because Arsenal will be like a wounded animal, and determined to maintain their lead at the top.
“But we also know we must show our determination because we want to finish fourth and to do that we know we virtually have to win all our games.
“In fact, the game is more important to us than it is to them because they have a margin of points over their nearest challengers that we do not have.
“I have no real idea how they will have reacted to this week, and I’m not really concerned. I’m only bothered about how we are,” he said.
Liverpool will arrive at Highbury 25 points behind the leaders and desperate to save their own season with Champions League qualification.
Houllier added: “It will be a physical game, it always is. But you also need for everybody to be on top of their game. You can’t afford to face them any other way.
“They have had setbacks, but I know Arsene and he is strong and has a strong side. In football there are always ups and downs and at the moment he is in a dip.
“But I know most of their players and they’re capable of overcoming a difficult situation. I hope they start it on Sunday and not Good Friday.”
Houllier also believes that Arsenal’s decline is not as dramatic as it looks.
He said: “Arsenal drew with Manchester United in the league because United equalised in the final minutes. That game could have been wrapped up earlier than that.
“They then lost in the semi-final after taking the decision to start without Thierry Henry. Their team without Henry is a different team. They are not a one-man team.
“It is like United without Ruud Van Nistelrooy and us without Michael Owen. They also dominated the first period against Chelsea and should have been well ahead.
“They could have won all those games, but they didn’t. But to be fair, they have had their luck this season and these things do even themselves out.
“Easter is always vital for anybody, we know that. I do not know whether it is a good or a bad time to play Arsenal after what happened in the Champions League. All I know is that we seem to have got stronger and to have hit form at the vital time of the season.
“We did very well against Blackburn at the weekend, but at Highbury it is fair to say that the opposition will not be the same.”
Houllier is aware comparisons will be made between the two clubs for this clash. Three seasons ago when Arsenal were champions and Liverpool second, the point’s gap was seven. Last season that widened to 14, and currently Arsenal are 25 points ahead.
It is a damning set of statistics, but predictably, Houllier refuses to accept such a wide gulf really exists.
He said: “I do not believe there is a huge gap between ourselves and Arsenal. When we play against them, certainly at Anfield at the beginning of the season, we have shown that we can compete with them.
“But do not forget we have had too many players injured to be able to match them. The likes of Michael Owen and Didi Hamann only played in the same side for the first time this season in January.
“That shows how drained we have been of our top players. We have never had our full team, until now.”
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