Declan Rice shares blueprint to beating Liverpool after Dominik Szoboszlai reminder

Arsenal will move eight points clear in the Premier League title race with a victory against Liverpool on Thursday, but Arne Slot's players will not give up without a fight

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice is chasing another three points(Image: Getty Images)

Declan Rice has called on Arsenal fans "to be on it" for Thursday's huge Premier League game against Liverpool at the Emirates.

Arne Slot and his players are hoping to cause an upset by beating the Gunners on their own patch. Arsenal is first in the Premier League table and will move eight points clear of Manchester City in second and Aston Villa in third with a victory against the Reds.

Liverpool is fourth in the standings, 14 points behind Arsenal. But the Reds are determined to remind everyone why they are Premier League champions, with midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai confirming as much during an interview released on Wednesday.

Liverpool also needs the points in the race for Champions League qualification. Slot's players are one point clear of Brentford, while Newcastle and Manchester United (two points behind Liverpool), as well as Chelsea (another point further back), are in the hunt.

Victory for the Reds on Thursday will open up some breathing room between them and those four teams heading into the second half of the season. Arsenal midfielder Rice is determined to make sure the Gunners don't drop points against Liverpool.

"It’s a massive game," Rice told Arsenal's website before revealing the team's blueprint for success. "We need the Emirates to be on it again. We’re unbeaten at home, we need to go out there and give it everything we’ve got. The energy needs to be right; we need to transmit that energy on the pitch, give them the right reason to cheer, and to push us on.

Dominik Szoboszlai isn't giving up without a fight(Image: Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)

"It’s one at a time, it’s just another one down off the Christmas schedule, and hopefully we can get another win and keep pushing on."

Mikel Arteta and Arsenal are trying to end a seven-year journey to the Premier League title. Since his appointment in 2019, the Gunners have finished eighth, eighth, fifth, second, second, and second - winning one FA Cup and two Community Shields.

Rice, who joined Arsenal in 2023, will be keen to add some silverware to his trophy cabinet. Although he's won the Conference League with West Ham and the Community Shield with Arsenal, he's twice finished second in the Premier League with the Gunners.

Rice also lost the Euro 2020 and Euro 2024 finals with England, having reached the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup. The 26-year-old is in the prime of his career and will want to win the Premier League and Champions League sooner rather than later.

But standing in his way are Liverpool and Szoboszlai. Speaking to Sky Sports, the Hungarian midfielder reminded Arsenal: "It's a long way. The Premier League is not easy. You don't win it by January, so I don't think we are playing against the champions.

"They're playing against the champions. They know as well. We know as well. Of course, they are one of the favorites for this year. Unbelievable team, really good players. But we shouldn't forget about Manchester City and Aston Villa, who is doing very good.

"So yeah, we don't play against the champions. They play against the champions."

Thursday's game kicks off at 8pm local time, which is 3pm ET.