Mikel Arteta makes Liverpool and Man City admission as Arsenal boss explains what he wants

Mikel Arteta admits he will be glued to his television when Liverpool entertain Manchester City on Sunday. But the Arsenal boss claims he has no preference over who wins at Anfield.

Arne Slot's Reds can go 11 points clear of Pep Guardiola's champions with victory and City head to a venue they have not won at in front of paying crowd since 2003 on the back of a dreadful sequence that included a five-game losing stretch prior to Tuesday's night draw with Feyenoord, which saw a shock collapse when 3-0 up heading into the final 15 minutes in the Champions League.

Arsenal head into the weekend's action nine behind the league leaders themselves, but can reduce that deficit to six when they travel to West Ham United on Saturday.

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And former Everton midfielder Arteta says he will be watching on from his armchair on Sunday afternoon when the top two clash at Anfield.

"It will [be tough] if [Liverpool] continue to play that way for sure," Arteta said. "The number of games they are winning, the numbers they are producing, [but] it's just the focus is on us.

"To maintain the consistency in the performances to give us the right to win a lot of games, keep that ability in the squad, keep everybody together and this is a long run.

"One hundred percent [I will watch in front of the TV]. It is a big match to watch, a beautiful match to watch, the best teams in Europe facing each other, competition for us, so, yes, it's a big one.

"Preference who wins? Yes, Arsenal tomorrow! That is the preference and then we will see Sunday. What I have made of [City's struggles] is what they have done in the last nine years, that is what people need to talk about, we know how difficult it is for what they have done for nine years consistently."

On City's recent struggles, Arteta added: "It's a bump, everyone has a bump but for them it is very strange because for nine years they have never had it.

"But that tells us the level and the environment we are in because everything has to be almost perfect for sure. The performance and the ability of your squad has to be perfect, everything has to go your way and the position, the level is different. It is so hard.

"I think everyone is just dealing with their own business, it is so hard. So what the rest are doing, it is not really a matter now. It is motivation to win on Saturday because watching Sunday, it will put us in a much better position so that is the task."

Liverpool have won 17 or Slot's 19 games as head coach and welcome City to Anfield on the back of a 2-0 victory over Real Madrid on Wednesday night in the Champions League.