SHOULD Mikel Arteta have the opportunity to line up one of his increasingly trademark free-kicks at Anfield this evening, he will have extra reason to channel his concentration.

After all, the Everton talisman has some old scores to settle with Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina.

When Arteta was a youngster at Barcelona’s famous La Masia institution, he shared a room with Reina and others including future Camp Nou favourites Victor Valdes, Andres Iniesta and Thiago Motta.

And Everton’s Spanish midfielder was often the unwitting recipient of some flying footwear intended for his noisy compatriot.

“I was the room-mate of Pepe Reina when I was 14, in the youth team at Barcelona,” says Arteta.

“I can tell you, it was traumatic rooming with Pepe! He slept in the bunk above me and he would snore a lot, which we could all hear.

“To shut him up, the others would throw slippers at him, and when they didn’t guess right I’d be hit by a few. Valdes, Motta, Iniesta... that’s how they spent their time!”

Reina takes up the story. “It is true the others used to throw slippers at me because I used to snore,” says the Liverpool goalkeeper.

“When I woke up I’d find pairs of boots and various things on top of me. Those days were a great experience.

“When I received the offer from Liverpool, the first person I called was Mikel because it meant we would meet up again.

“I became a father for the second time five months ago and in the summer we will have the baptism. Mikel will be godfather.

“But he knows, and I know, that if he has to punish me with a free-kick or penalty on Monday then he will do it. If I can save it I will.

“Mikel looks out for his team and I will do the same for mine. For 90 minutes we will not be friends.

“I saw his free-kick against Hull and I haven’t seen that kind of strike from him before. Maybe he has been practising.”

As part of the Spanish fraternity on Merseyside, Arteta has also formed a close bond with Reina’s Liverpool team-mates Fernando Torres, Albert Riera and fellow Basque Xabi Alonso.

“I sometimes have dinner at the houses of Pepe (Reina), Xabi (Alonso) or Fernando (Torres) and to eat Japanese. We’re maestros in that now! We know where to shop to get the food, where on the internet we can get it.

“I knew Torres when I was 16 and Riera around the same time. With Xabi we played in the same youth team, Antiguoko of San Sebastian.”