Clichy relishing Liverpool test March 19 2008
Arsenal full-back Gael Clichy claims it will be "quite good fun" to take on Liverpool three times in the space of a week next month as the pair go head to head in the Premier League and Europe.
The rivals were already scheduled to meet at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, April 5, in what could prove to be a key clash in the race for the title.
Now by a quirk of the fixture list they will get the chance to know each other even better over two legs of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie.
The Gunners host the first encounter in a fortnight's time, with the return at Anfield on Tuesday, April 8.
It is, though, not the first time the sides will have clashed more than twice in a campaign.
During January 2007, the north London giants recorded an FA Cup and Carling Cup double on Merseyside as they won both ties in the space of just four days, running out aggregate winners by 9-4
Earlier in the current campaign Arsene Wenger's men earned a 1-1 draw at Anfield with a late goal from Cesc Fabregas.
Clichy feels the team will take lining up against such familiar opposition in their stride.
"I don't think that affects the players at all," the French defender insisted.
"We did it last season when we played the FA Cup and Carling Cup together. In fact it's quite good fun because it doesn't happen much.
"We will look forward to it and hopefully we will come out as the winner."
Despite taking on well-known opponents, the 22-year-old is not expecting anything other than a severe test of Arsenal's credentials.
"An Italian team or Spanish team would have been fantastic, but Liverpool is not bad, they are a great side and it will be a great challenge," he told Arsenal TV.
"At this stage of the competition it doesn't matter who you play against because all the teams have great quality.
"We know Liverpool, they know us, it will be like a Premier League game and we'll see what happens."