ColumnRead Jürgen Klopp's final programme notes of 2023

The Reds boss writes: "Welcome to Anfield for our Premier League fixture against Arsenal, our final home game of 2023 and an opportunity to end what I would call 'the year in front of our own fans' in a really positive way.

"I know fixtures against Arsenal are always looked forward to anyway because our clubs are two of the biggest in English football, but the timing of this one – just before Christmas Day and with the two teams positioned where we are in the Premier League table – will hopefully make the atmosphere even more special.

"I spoke about the atmosphere after our win against West Ham United in midweek and the only reason for that was because I know how good it can be at Anfield and what a difference it can make. The truth is that if we have our fans on their toes it is a massive help. It really is.

"One of the things I believe most strongly in football is that when the fans and players are singing from the same hymn sheet, so to speak, you become a much more powerful force.

"There are so many examples of this and so many of them happened at this place that it can only make sense that we should look to create some more.

"Arsenal arrive as league leaders and this speaks for itself. We do not need any reminders of their quality, their form or their ambition – all of this is clear in the results they have had this season and further back. This also means that the job Mikel Arteta and his staff have done there speaks for itself.

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"So while welcoming Arsenal to Anfield, I do so with huge respect for what they are doing under Mikel's leadership. A team which was already really, really strong last season was added to with even more quality during the summer, so it is clear that they will be contenders once again. Like our supporters, we will have to be on our toes for this game.

"The fixture schedule at this time of year does not give us too much time to reflect on what has gone before but I would like to take the opportunity afforded to me by these notes to take stock of where we are right now and the direction that we are heading in, particularly after qualifying for the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.

"That we will head into the New Year still involved in all of the competitions that we entered at the start of the season is clearly a positive sign. We have not set ourselves any targets and we know that the hard work is only just beginning, but at the same time we have put some building blocks in place that will hopefully only help us going forward.

"The challenge now is clear: to keep going. Yes, we have cleared a lot of hurdles and some of the obstacles have been really big, but experience tells us that the challenges will keep on coming. We have to be ready for this.

"Finally, on behalf of everyone at Liverpool, I would like to wish all of our supporters and fans of all clubs a very Happy Christmas. However you choose to celebrate – or not – I hope and pray that you are able to enjoy it in the best way that you possibly can.

"Having been in Liverpool for a number of years now, I have become used to people wishing me 'All the best' and these simple words and the sentiment behind it are something I love.

"If we can wish the best to one another and mean it, we will not be in too bad a place I do not think. Without making too many exceptions, I would like to wish a particular 'All the best' to the staff, patients and parents who make Alder Hey Children's Hospital one of the most special places I will ever visit.

"We were able to visit earlier this week and the positivity is something that inspired me in a way that is difficult to describe. It is clear that we are blessed to have this kind of facility in our city."