Ian Wright lays down gauntlet to Mikel Arteta and Arsenal ahead of crunch Liverpool game

Ian Wright has warned and Mikel Arteta this weekend.

The Reds travel to face on Sunday off the back of seven wins from their opening eight games this season looking to retain their place at the top of the table with another victory - while opening up a seven point gap over their hosts.

And it is for this reason alone that Wright believes his former side simply cannot afford to lose this weekend's huge crunch clash at the Emirates Stadium if they wish to remain in the title race during these early stages of the campaign.

In response to former defender saying that a defeat for Arsenal would not be the end of the world, Wright was quick to point out that chasing in the past two seasons has also done them no favors.

"I don't feel that strongly that Arsenal cannot afford to lose," Neville began on the latest edition of the podcast. "I think you can actually start a little bit slowly and maybe drop a few points because I don't see this as a vintage City side that is going to get 100 points."

Wright replied: "It may not be vintage City, but this Arsenal team has learned in the last two years that you cannot be chasing them. It is a must-not-lose game. With five players missing, we cannot act like it is nothing. It is five players who would be playing. At some stage in that game, they must realize 'we cannot lose this game.'

"Liverpool has started brilliantly and has built momentum and is coming to Arsenal saying, 'Let's keep it tight and we can beat these'. It is up to Arsenal to prove that they can't, even with those players missing."

The Gunners haven't done themselves any favors ahead of Sunday's clash , where a 2-0 defeat ended their unbeaten start to the season and saw them .

An unconvincing 1-0 victory at home to Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk in the on Tuesday followed, yet things aren't looking great for side ahead of the visit of in just a few days' time, which has won successive games against and since the international break.

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The north Londoners could be without seven players for the clash, , while William Saliba .

However, this couldn't be better news for and Liverpool, who now appear to be heading into the game as outright favorites given the situation at the Emirates Stadium and their own position at the top of the Premier League.