Wenger Answered Critics With Tottenham Display

Arsene Wenger believes that he has answered his critics on the pitch after Arsenal's display against Tottenham last week, with the Gunners' manager hoping to continue the good spirits against Liverpool this Saturday.

For both the north London side and the Reds, this match will be all-important in their goal to qualify for the Champions League next season.

Arsenal are currently in the fray to finish in the top four, but are level on points with fifth-placed Chelsea, while Liverpool are seven points away from Champions League qualification, and need to start chipping away at that number immediately if they hope to be in contention come May.

And while Arsenal looked to be in yet another crisis following their 4-0 loss to AC Milan in the first leg of the final 16 of the European competition, Wenger believes the performance against their cross-town rivals should set the stage for a big fight against the Merseyside club this weekend.

"When people want you to be bad, they tell you that you are bad," he told the official Arsenal website.

"Sometimes you have to accept that you are questioned but sometimes the questioning is not always based on facts. But we have to live with that and I believe the best answer is to give the kind of performance we gave against Tottenham, not to talk too much and play.

"[The derby] was an important victory but for me it was significant because we won with style and desire. On the day we produced the performance we wanted, and if you look back in the championship, we are on a good run.

"It is good to be inspired by our performance [against Tottenham] and hopefully it will help us to produce another one of the same level because that will be wanted at Liverpool."

Liverpool, meanwhile, are coming off a big win in the Carling Cup final, and will be hoping to keep their winning momentum alive against Arsenal. The side face a tough few weeks following, with Sunderland away, Everton and Stoke to play, and will be looking to take maximum points and continue their fight for a top-four spot.