The fascinating race for the top four goes through a potentially pivotal checkpoint on Saturday lunchtime when Arsenal host Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.

In the first Premier League game after the international break, the Gunners have the chance to temporarily climb above Manchester City into second and put nine points between themselves and the fifth-placed Reds in the table.

Arsenal

A run of 13 wins in 14 domestic games has allowed the Gunners to largely gloss over another Champions League disappointment and position themselves strongly for the season run-in.

Arsene Wenger's side are FA Cup semi-finalists and also pursuing their highest league finish in a decade, having almost reeled in second-placed Man City courtesy of six successive top-flight victories.

The latest of those came prior to the international break as Player of the Month nominee for March Olivier Giroud bagged a brace to secure the Gunners a slender 2-1 success over Newcastle United at St James' Park.

Their home form has been excellent too, having not dropped a Premier League point at the Emirates since November. Their five league games on their own patch since the turn of the year have yielded 15 goals and only one conceded.

Arsenal must still be wary, though, that not all is said and done in the top-four race yet. Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton and their opponents this weekend especially are not going to give up their Champions League hopes lightly.

Despite a commanding 2-0 victory at the Citizens in January, questions remain about Arsenal's ability to get the job done against the top sides. They have failed to win three of their last four games against teams in the top seven, and have Chelsea and United still to come after Liverpool's visit.

Recent form: WWWWWW
Recent form (all competitions): WWWWWW

Liverpool

The past two weeks have not been easy for Liverpool fans. They have had to stew on a 2-1 defeat to fierce rivals Manchester United, in which their adored captain got himself sensationally sent off, and then watch several of their key players report back early from international duty with injury.

To make matters worse, one of those players, tipped to be a vital part of the post-Steven Gerrard team, Raheem Sterling, has been alarming non-committal and has delayed talks over a new deal until the summer.

Intensifying questions over the 20-year-old's future is not the ideal preparation that Brendan Rodgers would have wanted for a match which could decide Liverpool's Champions League fate, and ironically Arsenal are one of the teams supposedly ready to capitalise on Sterling's uncertain contract situation.

Great solace can be taken in their recent form, though. The setback against United was a first Premier League defeat since they lost to the Red Devils in December's reverse fixture.

If Arsenal are enjoying their home comforts, Liverpool are the happiest travellers in the division, having won five of their last six away games and not conceded a single goal during that unbeaten sequence.

The Reds have Blackburn Rovers in an FA Cup quarter-final replay on Wednesday, but this is probably a more important game as defeat would almost certainly end their chances of catching Arsenal, and potentially their top-four hopes too.

Recent form: WWWWWL
Recent form (all competitions): LWWDWL

Team News

Liverpool are definitely without suspended pair Gerrard and Martin Skrtel. While Sterling and Daniel Sturridge were concerns after returning early from England duty, both are expected to be fit to start.

Adam Lallana, replaced at half time in the defeat to United, is a more serious fitness doubt. Lazar Markovic or Glen Johnson could deputise in a wing-back position, allowing Sterling to play further forward.

Dejan Lovren is in line to replace Skrtel, punished by way of a three-match ban for stamping on David de Gea, in the back three. Lucas Leiva has declared himself fit and could find himself alongside Mario Balotelli on the bench.

The Gunners had their own casualty of the international break as Danny Welbeck pulled out of the trip to Italy, having scored in their 4-0 Euro 2016 qualifying victory over Lithuania for his fifth England goal in as many games.

Giroud is in equally hot form for club and country and will lead the Arsenal line with support from Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla and Alexis Sanchez. Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Debuchy and Jack Wilshere are all close to returns, but will not be in consideration.

Wenger's biggest selection dilemmas are likely to come in defence, where Laurent Koscielny is the only certainty as Hector Bellerin, Calum Chambers, Kieran Gibbs, Nacho Monreal, Gabriel Paulista and Per Mertesacker all battle for selection. Pace may be the decisive factor against a quick Liverpool frontline.

Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Ospina; Bellerin, Koscielny, Gabriel, Gibbs; Ramsey, Coquelin; Sanchez, Cazorla, Ozil; Giroud

Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Mignolet; Can, Lovren, Sakho; Johnson, Allen, Henderson, Moreno; Coutinho, Sterling, Sturridge

Head To Head

Arsenal have lost only one of their last 17 home games against Liverpool in all competitions, with Jordan Henderson likely to be the only survivor of the Reds team which won 2-0 in North London in August 2011.

Skrtel's injury-time equaliser rescued the Merseysiders a 2-2 draw in December's reverse fixture. A point apiece that day left Liverpool 10th and Arsenal sixth, but their post-Christmas form has rocketed them each up the table.

Video Preview

Hit play below to see what the Sports Mole Sofa had to say about this encounter:

We say: Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool

Both sides were in excellent form prior to the international break, but Arsenal perhaps have less pressure on them to win this game and that could tell on a Liverpool side who will have to cope without several of their most senior players. Expect goals and fast-paced action, and Arsenal cheers at the final whistle.