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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expects his team to return to Anfield on Thursday believing they can give Liverpool a lot to think about.
The Gunners suffered a 3-1 loss in the Premier League to the Reds on Monday night, their first loss of the new campaign.
Alexandre Lacazette put Arsenal ahead midway through the first half before Liverpool responded with quick goals from Sadio Mane and Andrew Robertson, and new signing Diogo Jota added a third at the end.
Both coaches will refresh their team for the Carabao Cup tie.
Arteta believes that Monday night’s energetic performance, though not the end result, will have lifted the entire group.
“I am happy that we competed throughout the game and I think there are many things that we can do better, and we will do better, and that will help us a lot in the process,” Arteta told Arsenal.com.
“We tried and they believed. That is what I asked them before the game, to believe.”
“Playing here with character and playing our way and now we just accept that they were better and that they are better at the moment and that we have to improve.
“This is the level that we have to reach. We will return on Thursday and try to win again.”
Arteta acknowledged that Monday night’s Premier League match had been “a physically demanding match,” so he is once again ready to use his team for the cup tie.
Defenders Cedric Soares and Sokratis Papastathopoulos have returned to full training after their respective calf problems, so they could participate.
Icelandic goalkeeper Alex Runarsson may be in line for his debut, while Joe Willock, Reiss Nelson, Bukayo Saka and Nicolas Pepe are expected to appear.
Arsenal could still make some late moves before the transfer deadline.
Roma midfielder Amadou Diawara is said to be on Arteta’s radar, with Lucas Torreira touted as a possible middleweight in the deal, though he has also been linked to a trade to Atlético de Madrid.
France’s Lyon international Houssem Aouar is another reported target, while Marseille is rumored to be tracking down Matteo Guendouzi on loan.
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