There are encouraging signs emerging at Liverpool again. Five consecutive victories have changed the mood around Anfield, the performances have become more convincing and Andoni Iraola is beginning to see the benefits of the work undertaken since his arrival.

But there is a difference between building momentum and demonstrating that a team can compete with the very best. On Sunday, Liverpool will have an opportunity to show that the distance between those two things is narrowing.

Arsenal arrive at Anfield as reigning Premier League champions and current league leaders. They have lost just once this season, possess an established understanding of how to manage difficult matches and have developed into one of the most organised sides in English football.

For Liverpool, this is precisely the kind of examination Iraola needs.

The Spaniard has been careful not to attach too much significance to the league table in October. He believes the first meaningful assessment of the standings comes when teams have played each other once, but that does not make Sunday’s meeting any less important.

Liverpool are fourth, six points behind Arsenal, and still have ground to recover after their inconsistent opening to the campaign. Their recent winning sequence has included progress in different competitions, but only two of those five victories have come in the league.

Iraola knows there is more to come from his side. The results have improved, but he has been explicit about the need to keep raising standards. Arsenal provide an opportunity to measure that progress against a team already operating at a consistently high level.

One of the most important areas of Sunday’s contest will be the midfield.

Liverpool need to find a way to impose themselves without allowing Arsenal to dictate the rhythm of the game. That requires more than simply winning possession. They must be able to compete physically, protect the space around their defence and turn recoveries into meaningful attacking situations.

Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister are likely to carry significant responsibility in that regard. Their ability to receive under pressure, progress the ball and help Liverpool control transitions could prove decisive.

Gravenberch’s role is particularly interesting after a demanding run of fixtures. Iraola has acknowledged that the midfielder has experienced better and worse performances this season, while also defending the contribution he has made during a period in which he has played considerable minutes.

Arsenal will look to make Liverpool work for possession. Their organisation and understanding make it difficult to find space through the middle, while their ability to turn defensive situations into attacking opportunities means careless possession can be punished.

Liverpool cannot afford to become passive. If they allow Arsenal to settle into their preferred rhythm, the visitors have the quality and patience to make the afternoon uncomfortable.

Equally, there must be an understanding of when to accelerate. Liverpool’s best opportunities may come from moving the ball quickly after winning it, before Arsenal can restore their defensive structure.

Iraola’s teams are expected to play with aggression, energy and an appetite to compete. That has been an important part of Liverpool’s recent improvement, but Arsenal represent a different challenge from several of the opponents they have faced during their winning run.

The Liverpool head coach has already identified the details he believes will matter most. Speaking before the game, he stressed the importance of winning individual duels, competing in the air and controlling the smaller set-piece contests that can influence matches between leading sides.

It is a revealing assessment. Iraola is not suggesting that Liverpool can simply overwhelm Arsenal through intensity. They need to combine that aggression with discipline and an understanding of when to press, when to hold their positions and when to manage the game.

The first line of pressure will be important, but it cannot become an invitation for Arsenal to play through Liverpool. If the hosts commit too many players forward without adequate protection behind the ball, they risk leaving space for the visitors to exploit.

That balance will be central to the performance. Liverpool need to be brave enough to take the game to Arsenal, but intelligent enough not to turn every possession into a gamble.

There is also an opportunity to make the atmosphere at Anfield count. Iraola has spoken about the relationship between the team’s commitment and the supporters’ response, insisting that the crowd can recognise when players are giving everything.

The atmosphere against Chelsea in midweek was encouraging, and Liverpool will need that energy again. However, the responsibility remains with the players to give the crowd something to respond to.

Liverpool have attacking options capable of troubling most defences, but Arsenal’s structure makes them a particularly difficult opponent to break down.

Florian Wirtz could be an important figure in finding spaces between the lines, particularly if Liverpool can move the ball quickly enough to prevent Arsenal from becoming compact. His ability to receive in tight areas, turn and connect with the forwards gives the hosts a different dimension.

Alexander Isak’s movement will also matter. Liverpool need to offer a threat beyond simply circulating possession in front of Arsenal’s defensive block. Runs behind the back line, movement across the centre-backs and intelligent positioning around the penalty area can create uncertainty in a defence that otherwise thrives on organisation.

Bradley Barcola’s pace and ability to attack defenders provide another route into the game, while Cody Gakpo offers a different profile on the opposite side.

The challenge is making those individual qualities work together. Liverpool cannot rely on isolated moments of brilliance against an opponent so comfortable defending as a unit.

They must create situations in which Arsenal are forced to make decisions: whether to step out, protect the space behind or follow runners into dangerous areas. The more questions Liverpool can ask, the greater the opportunity to disrupt the visitors’ organisation.

There is also a need for patience. Arsenal are unlikely to offer Liverpool endless opportunities, and the hosts must make the most of the moments they create.

Liverpool’s demanding schedule has placed considerable pressure on the squad, with Iraola rotating regularly across competitions.

The visit of Arsenal makes those decisions more significant. Dominik Szoboszlai and Victor Muñoz both have a chance of being involved after injury concerns, although Iraola admitted that neither was certain to be available when he spoke on Friday.

Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley, Jeremie Frimpong and Giovanni Leoni were not expected to return for the fixture.

The potential availability of Szoboszlai would be particularly valuable. His energy, pressing and ability to contribute in different phases of the game give Liverpool another option in a match likely to demand enormous work without the ball.

But Iraola must also consider the physical condition of those who have played repeatedly in recent weeks. His approach to rotation has been deliberate, with the coaching staff relying heavily on video analysis and workload management during a congested schedule.

The challenge is finding the right balance between freshness and continuity. Liverpool have started to build momentum, and there is a danger that too many changes could disrupt the understanding that has developed during the winning run.

There is a personal dimension to the fixture, too. Iraola and Mikel Arteta know one another from their playing days in the Basque Country, and Sunday’s meeting will be another encounter between two coaches who have crossed paths throughout their careers.

Iraola also enjoyed a strong record against Arsenal during his time at Bournemouth, winning three of his final four meetings with them. However, he has been quick to dismiss the relevance of those results, pointing out that this is a different team, with different players and a different set of circumstances.

His focus is rightly on what Liverpool can produce now.

A victory would move the Reds to within three points of the champions and strengthen the belief that their recent revival can develop into something more substantial. It would also provide a significant statement about their ability to compete with the leading sides after a difficult start.

But the performance matters just as much as the result. Liverpool need to show that their recent improvements can withstand an opponent capable of testing their organisation, concentration and decision-making for 90 minutes.

Iraola has repeatedly insisted that his team have another level to reach. Sunday’s fixture will not determine the direction of his entire Liverpool tenure, nor will it settle the question of whether they can challenge for the title.

It will, however, provide a much clearer indication of where they stand.

Five consecutive wins have brought Liverpool back into the conversation. Beating Arsenal at Anfield would make that conversation considerably louder.