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LIVERPOOL FC ;GUNNERS DUO HAIL REDS FANS AS THE BEST

Arsenal goalkeeper Manual Almunia has described Liverpool supporters as the 'best in the world' ahead of Tuesday's Champions League qaurter-final second leg at Anfield.

/noticias.info/ The Gunners keeper admits the prospect of taking on both Rafael Benitez's side and the famous 12th man is a tough task for Arsenal and has been impressed by the energy created by the fans in the stand.

"For me, the atmosphere there is the best in the world," said Almunia.

"Liverpool are great in the Champions League but Arsenal aspire to be great as well. If you are going to be that kind of team then you have to be playing well in stadiums like Anfield."

He added: "You see the pure football at Anfield. The crowd and the team are as one together. The crowd lifts the team in any situation and that is fantastic."

The fascination with the Anfield supporters is one that Almunia's teammate Cesc Fabragas shares, and he agrees that it is almost like giving Liverpool a one-man advantage.

"It is incredible the passion with which Liverpool fans live their games," he said.

"Even the smallest cup game has a great atmosphere there, it is as if they played with 12 men.

"Let's see what happens [in Tuesday's return leg]. The good thing about playing away is that we don't have the pressure from our fans."

Fabregas has also praised the qualities of Reds midfielder Javier Mascherano after the Argentinean successfully shackled the Arsenal number four in the first-leg at the Emirates.

"Mascherano is an amazing player," he said.

"I could feel his breath on my neck the whole time. He is defensively very good and after he wins the ball he knows what to do with it."

The Spain international, still only 20, was frustrated by Liverpool's rearguard action in the first part of the Reds v Gunnners trilogy and admits it will take something akin to their famous league success of 1989 to see them into the last four.

"It is going to be very difficult at 1-1 because all they will want to do is defend and try to catch us on the break," he moaned.

"I think they will play the same in the second-leg. The atmosphere will be amazing. but they know they will go through with a 0-0, so they will want to keep a clean sheet.

"I watched the 1989 game on the Arsenal TV this week. Hopefully we can get the same result at Anfield again, that would be amazing. It's the same again, we have to go there and win." notas_de_prensa_archivo