Liverpool have yet to win at the Emirates after five previous visits and have not beaten Arsenal on their own turf since Titi Camara netted the winner at Highbury in February 2000.

But Benitez said: “After seven games without losing, you have to have some confidence, we know that if you can win this game we can look at the table and start thinking in a different way but there are still too many games to play so its important to concentrate on this one.

“You can see how they train whether they are happy or not and you can see how they play and whether they are strong enough or not. Sometimes they are strong in possession and better and you can see that.

“It’s a little bit of everything, tackles and tempo in sessions and people looking happy so you can see a lot of things together.”

Liverpool can strengthen their grip on a Champions League qualification place while moving to within two points of Arsenal with victory this evening.

And Benitez said: “The main thing for me is to keep the momentum and try to win, if you can do that then we can analyse the table and then see what is going on but now for the moment it is about getting three points.”

With Sotirios Kyrgiakos beginning a three-match suspension following his red card against Everton at the weekend, Martin Skrtel and Philipp Degen are vying for a starting role in defence.

One player who won’t be available, however, is Alberto Aquilani. The Italian is suffering from an illness and has not travelled to London.

“Aquilani was ill and vomiting, so he will not be in the squad, he’s too weak now,” said Benitez. It is not too serious. We had problems with Skrtel this weekend. He was also vomiting and lost four kilograms.”