Arsene Wenger's Arsenal side face a major examination of their Premier League title credentials when they face Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday after successive home defeats. The Gunners go into the latest round of matches at the top of the table, two points clear of their opponents and Chelsea who face Newcastle earlier in the day.
But their confidence has been hit by back-to-back home losses to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League and a League Cup exit at the hands of Chelsea. Sandwiched in between was a victory at struggling Crystal Palace that maintained Arsenal's impressive start to the championship campaign. But Wenger, bidding to end Arsenal's now eight-year-long trophy drought, knows his side must quickly reverse the dip in home form.
Olivier Giroud will return to lead the Gunners' attack after starting on the bench against Chelsea and the Frenchman's contribution - he has scored five goals in nine league games - is likely to be central to Arsenal's chances of claiming three points. The striker has overcome a slow start to his career in England and attributes his improvement to a growing self-belief. "I think technically I had it before, maybe I progressed because we have worked on it a lot in training," he said.