Alonso eager to prove mettle

LIVERPOOL’S showdown with Arsenal is being billed as the clash of the young Spanish pretenders — but for Xabi Alonso it is more a chance to prove he can handle the physical demands in the Premiership.

Under a fortnight ago, Alonso, along with Arsenal star Jose Reyes, was in captivating form to embarrass England in Madrid. But since then Alonso has performed poorly in defeat at Middlesbrough and was dropped for Liverpool's Champions League reverse in Monaco.

Alonso admits he looked to international pal Reyes's move to Highbury as inspiration for his own switch from Real Sociedad to Anfield in the summer.