Facing Liverpool this weekend will come as a relief to Arsenal’s defence after their weekend exertions against Burnley, according to Sokratis Papastathopoulos.

Arsenal ran out 2-1 winners over Sean Dyche’s side at the Emirates on Saturday, but the visitors’ physical front two of Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes proved to be a handful.

Unai Emery’s side travel to Anfield next weekend to play free-scoring Liverpool, but Sokratis admitted that facing the Reds’ dynamic front line could be easier than his battle with Burnley.

‘It’s a different game,’ he told the Evening Standard.

‘Maybe it’s easier, because you don’t have to fight a lot – but they also play football.

‘If they’re on a good day and you’re having a bad day, it’s hard. In the end, we know that it’s difficult and we respect Liverpool a lot.

‘But I think the best [way] is to go and play our style of game. We will see what happens.’

The fixture wasn’t one to remember for Arsenal last season as they were hammered 5-1 by Jurgen Klopp’s men, but the Greek isn’t expecting his side to come unstuck in the same manner.

‘But the 5-1 last season … it was not the game to take five goals – [there was] the penalty kicks, we made mistakes,’ he said.

‘I think this year will be different, but we have to improve of course from the work we do with the coach and his staff.’