Gael Clichy is looking forward to taking on Liverpool three times in the space of a week with Arsenal next month as the pair go head to head in the Premier League and Europe.

It is not the first time the sides will have clashed more than twice in a campaign. During January 2007, Arsenal recorded an FA Cup and Carling Cup double in Liverpool as they won both ties in the space of just four days. Earlier in the current campaign Arsene Wenger's team earned a 1-1 draw at Anfield with a late goal from Cesc Fabregas.

The Arsenal full-back feels his team will take lining up against such familiar opposition in their stride. "I don't think that affects the players at all," he said. "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, Clichy 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 said. "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."