Arsenal collected 52 red cards in his first seven years in England so Arsène Wenger will be accused of hypocrisy for calling for more protection for his players, but the manager has always been an enigma. For all his studied intelligence and reasoned manner, the Frenchman has a fierce temper, as Sir Alex Ferguson, Sam Allardyce, José Mourinho and Alan Pardew, to name a few of those to have crossed him, would testify.

Arsenal’s best teams in recent years have mirrored their manager’s seemingly split personality, a mixture of beauty and the beast. The image of Martin Keown hounding Ruud van Nistelrooy around Old Trafford in September 2003 may not present “The Invincibles” in their best light, but it illustrated the resolution that enabled them to go through the season unbeaten. Perhaps Wenger’s present sensitivity springs from his lack of players — such as Keown, Patrick Vieira, Sol Campbell and Dennis Bergkamp — willing to put their foot in.

“When this team have more experience, they will handle it much better and with some experienced players out they are more under threat,” Wenger said. “When we play with players who have been playing for ten years they [the opposition] show more respect than towards a young player. Bergkamp, for example, could stand up for himself and there was a reluctance to kick him.

“I hate players who hide from physical contact. I never respect a player who doesn’t go into contact, but sometimes there is a line you cannot accept. I want my players to be respected and what happens sometimes is not right.

“I always ask my players to be 100 per cent committed, but when you have players who are more technical, when you have a good touch, it means that your feet are more sensitive. And sometimes the price you play is that when you get hit, your feet are more sensitive.”

Wenger’s philosophy springs from his experiences during a modest playing career with Strasbourg, where his commitment was more evident than his class. “If you had seen me playing you would not deny that,” he said. “One hundred per cent commitment is one of the strengths of the English game. Most ‘coward’ players I played with were those who tried to hit somebody. The bravest never tried to ‘ do’ anyone, they went always for the ball.

“At that time you had clubs where they got the number of the player they had to kill. Football has become better because in that period you had players who were professional killers. When you’re brave you’re strong, you respect the rules. When you go 100 per cent for the ball I respect that 200 per cent, but when I see a player giving another player an elbow before he goes for the ball I say, ‘Sorry, my friend, you have nothing to do in the game.’ It’s not football.”

With Júlio Baptista set to replace Robin van Persie up front, Wenger will be relieved that Rafael Benítez has prepared a football team, rather than professional killers, for the match at Anfield today. Craig Bellamy is fit again for Liverpool as they seek revenge for their 3-0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium in November.

“Arsenal like to play football and against Liverpool they know it will be an open game,” Benítez said. “It should be good for the supporters, if not so for the managers, because you prefer it one-sided. We have confidence, but not too much.”

Liverpool (possible; 4-4-2): J M Reina — S Finnan, J Carragher, D Agger, J A Riise — J Pennant, S Gerrard, X Alonso, L GarcÍa — C Bellamy, D Kuyt.

Arsenal (probable; 4-4-2): J Lehmann — J Hoyte, K Touré, P Senderos, G Clichy — A Hleb, Gilberto Silva, M Flamini, T Rosicky — T Henry, J Baptista.

Referee: S Bennett.