Reina: confident Reds ready to end Emirates jinx
The Reds have struggled away against the Gunners under Rafael Benitez — in fact they have not beaten Arsene Wenger’s side on the Gunners’ own turf since February 2000 — but Reina insists there is a new confidence in league leaders Liverpool.
“We don’t have that many great memories from our other visits to the Emirates. They played very well, and we weren’t in our best moment. This time I think it is different, because we are top of the table and I think it is easier to play when you are up there. We’ve never won there before, so maybe it’s the right time to do it.
“It is possible for us to win on any ground. But we have to respect them a lot and play to win, like we always do.
“We have already won at Stamford Bridge, which we’d not done, so we’re confident we can now go to the Emirates and win there too.”
Reina is anticipating Arsenal raising their game — they have already beaten Chelsea and Manchester United but lost to Hull, Stoke and Fulham.
“They probably do save their best for the big teams,” added Reina. “The way they play their football probably makes it easier for them to take on the top sides, because they allow them to play their brand of football.”
Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger insists he will only dip into the January sales if he can find “something special”.
The Gunners boss is frequently criticised for not spending big and instead relying on the development of youth.
However, while the Frenchman has a hefty war chest — which could further be boosted by a sell-on clause for the £20million sale of former midfielder Lassana Diarra from Portsmouth to Real Madrid — he will only bring in a fresh faces if they will add something to his young squad.
“At the moment, I am more keen to develop the team we have. When you look at our players, most of them are under 21 and there is a lot to come from them,” he said.
“If it appears we can make something special, then we will do it — but I can sincerely say we have not seen anything special that can convince us we will be much stronger.”
Wenger is convinced teenager Jack Wilshere has all the attributes to go on and become an Arsenal legend in the mould of Dennis Bergkamp.
“I believe he will end up a central midfielder, just off the striker in the Bergkamp role,” Wenger said.
“I am convinced he will have tremendous penetrative power and we forget this boy is only 16 and already has so much power — you give him four more years and he will be massively strong. But I would not like to put too much pressure on him because of the expectation level. That is one of the problems when you are talented and very young — Theo Walcott went through that.”
