Kolo Toure says Arsenal have the upper hand over Liverpool thanks to the recent history between the teams.
Reds 'scared' of triple-header against Gunners
Kolo Toure says Arsenal have the upper hand over Liverpool thanks to the recent history between the two teams.
The two Premier League clubs will meet three times in the space of a week, with a domestic fixture sandwiched between the two legs of their Champions League quarter-final.
Arsenal beat Liverpool in three of their four meetings last season and Toure believes that will stand them in good stead at The Emirates on Wednesday.
"It is an exciting tie," said Toure. "Last season we played them four times (meeting in the FA and Carling Cups as well as the league) and we showed how strong we were - we beat them in three of those games.
"It is going to be really tight, we know that, but we have the quality and I think they will be scared to play against us.
"We need to show them that we have continued to improve and are even stronger than last season."
Toure added in the April edition of the official
Arsenal magazine: "We are used to playing against them, so we know we are in for a battle."
Team-mate Cesc Fabregas is determined to get past Liverpool and then Chelsea or Fenerbahce to realise his dream of playing in another Champions League final with Arsenal.
However, Fabregas is not so keen on the prospect of an all-English climax to the tournament.
Fabregas, speaking to Spanish radio
EFE, said: "Obviously, everybody dreams, but you have to work hard to make dreams become reality. If you stay in bed then you are never going to obtain your dream.
"I am dreaming of playing in another Champions League final. If it is against Barcelona it will be difficult because they have a great team.
"All I want is another chance of playing in a final, whoever that is against. If we won, then in five years' time nobody will care who the opposition was.
"I would have preferred to play a European team. To play in the Champions League against the same players that you play every week and see on the television, well, I would have preferred Barcelona, Madrid, an Italian team.
"But this is what we have been given and we have to deal with it. I am still a youngster here.
"When you look at the team I am still one of the youngest and am still a boy really. I do feel important and for any player that is vital."
