Jurgen Klopp praises five Arsenal players before Liverpool showdown

The table topping Gunners have made an outstanding start to the new season, building on their impressive summer recruitment drive to win nine of their 10 matches in all competitions so far.

The additions of Gabriel Jesus and Olkesandr Zinchenko have added Premier League nous and quality to what was already a squad bursting with potential.

As well as the contribution made by new talisman Jesus, Klopp also referenced the performances of captain Martin Odegaard, who he tried to sign as a teenager, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and midfield anchor Thomas Partey.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Klopp said: ‘All my respect, really, really good job.

‘When you need some time nobody wants to give you time and maybe not all of us deserve it you still need to be good to use the time and Mikel obviously did.

‘Lots of respect for it. They had a lot of talent already in the last few years. Martinelli, I was very early excited about him and he became exactly the player I expected he will be.

‘Martin Odegaard, I spoke to him when he was 15 from Norway and the whole world wanted him and he decided for Real Madrid.

‘I remember like it was yesterday we sat at a table with his dad and we were so excited.

‘There were a few difficult years that were normal when you are so much in the spotlight. He became the player everybody expected.

‘Saka, oof, I think from first day since he’s playing it’s been incredible and Gabriel Jesus if anybody knew how good he could be, not in a Man City shirt, in a fixed No.9 role then it was Mikel because he worked with him, same with Zinchenko.

‘He’s brought Xhaka back on track. Thomas Partey, everyone knew how good he was when he as at Atletico and the last line is now really settled.

‘They found a way they want to defend and that’s it.’

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