Arsenal’s title credentials are in for a major test against Liverpool on Saturday.

Arsene Wenger has masterminded three victories in his side’s last four Premier League trips to Anfield, including a 2-0 win last season.

Not since Peter Crouch scored a hat-trick in a 4-1 victory in March 2007 have the Merseyside club secured a home win against Arsenal in the top flight.

Liverpool did also beat Wenger’s side 4-2 the following April in a Champions League quarter-final thriller to progress 5-3 on aggregate and set up a semi-final against Chelsea.

However, in the 12 meetings between the two sides since then, Liverpool have only managed one victory – 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium in August 2011.

Wenger’s side hold a two-point lead at the top of the table after they beat Crystal Palace 2-0 last weekend, while second-placed Manchester City were beaten 1-0 by Chelsea – who are now level on points with Manuel Pellegrini’s side.

Liverpool were beaten 2-0 at Arsenal back in November, but Wenger believes Brendan Rodgers’ side are a different proposition now.

He said: “We need to dominate the game in order to keep [Luis] Suarez and [Daniel] Sturridge quiet. We must control possession.

“We had some good wins at Anfield. I have a lot of respect for the fans there, they know their football.

“I think Liverpool are strong offensively with Sturridge, Suarez, [Philippe] Coutinho, [Raheem] Sterling and [Steven] Gerrard.

“Liverpool are in a better position than to when we last played them. They have momentum with them.”

Arsenal, who have won eight and drawn two of their last 10 games, could welcome back Jack Wilshere (ankle), while fellow midfielder Mikel Arteta (calf) should also feature.

Aaron Ramsey (thigh), Thomas Vermaelen (knee), Kim Kallstrom (back) will play no part, and Mathieu Flamini is suspended.

Theo Walcott and Abou Diaby (both knee) are long-term absentees.

A mistake from Kolo Toure proved costly as Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw at West Brom last Sunday.

Toure, who will be hoping to line up against his former club this weekend, gifted Victor Anichebe an equaliser after Sturridge had opened the scoring at The Hawthorns.

Fourth-placed Liverpool are just two points ahead of city rivals Everton and eight adrift of Arsenal.

The Merseyside club treated their fans to a 4-0 hammering of neighbours Everton in their last game at Anfield and have only failed to win twice at home in the league this season.

Rodgers will once again be unable to call on defenders Daniel Agger (calf), Glen Johnson (ankle/groin) and Mamadou Sakho (hamstring).

Midfielder Lucas Leiva and defender Jose Enrique (both knee) are also unavailable.

The Cerezo Osaka forward believes that his Uruguay team-mate can break Messi and Ronaldo’s monopoly on the Fifa award

Diego Forlan has tipped Uruguay team-mate and Liverpool striker Luis Suarez to win the Ballon d’Or if he keeps up his current form.

Suarez has shone for the Reds in 2013-14 after starting the campaign with a ban after biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic towards the end of last season and has scored 23 times in 19 Premier League matches.

Forlan, who recently joined Japanese outfit Cerezo Osaka, feels the 27-year-old could break the pattern of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo winning the Ballon d’Or if he maintains his current level.

“His chances of winning are high if he keeps performing as he is now,” Forlan, 34, told Perform.

The former Manchester United and Atletico Madrid attacker is in line to feature in his third World Cup later this year, with Oscar Tabarez’s side hoping to improve on their run to the semi-finals at the 2010 tournament.

Despite being face a stiff challenge in order to progress to the knockout rounds again after being grouped with England, Italy and Costa Rica in Group D, Forlan believes Uruguay have the ability to progress.

“No doubt it is a very good attack we possess, but there are others that have good attackers too,” he continued.

“We have a good foundation after years playing together. Now we have more experience after a good World Cup in South Africa plus a trophy won at the Copa America [in 2011].

“We have good players and hopefully we will perform well even though our group is not easy.

“It is a difficult group, but I think that we are on a par with each other: Costa Rica, England, Italy and Uruguay. All of us look sideways.”

Mamadou Sakho is still struggling with a hamstring injury, while Glen Johnson and Daniel Agger have been sidelined with ankle and calf problems, respectively

Liverpool will be without three key defenders for Saturday’s Premier League crunch clash with Arsenal at Anfield.

Mamadou Sakho has been struggling with a hamstring injury picked up against Chelsea on December 29, while Glen Johnson and Daniel Agger are sidelined with ankle and calf problems, respectively.

Rodgers confirmed Johnson and Agger are closer to returning to full training than Sakho, but all three will miss the visit of the Gunners.

“No, they’ll not be back for this one, but we’re hopeful that next week [they will be back],” the Reds boss told reporters when asked about Johnson and Agger.

“Glen Johnson is making a great recovery, so there might be a point towards the middle or end of next week [when he can return]. Daniel Agger will hopefully be next week at some stage.

“Sakho is still out for a little bit, but apart from that we will be the same as what we have been for the weekend.”

Liverpool have dropped points at home on just two occasions this season and Rodgers believes his team rise to the challenge of facing top sides.

“Sometimes I feel, the bigger the game, the better we’ve played,” he added. “At the Emirates, though, Arsenal were the better team.

“Every game is critical now before the end of the season. Every team will look to take points off their rivals.

“If we win this weekend, we close the gap on the teams above us. So we need to make sure the performance is right.

“These types of games are an opportunity to make a statement of the progress we’ve made.

“When I came in, there wasn’t much confidence to consistently win. Now there is and none more so than at Anfield.

“We’ll respect our opponents, and none more so than Arsenal, but we’ll expect to win and have the confidence to do so.”