Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says the next 12 days will be the most challenging period he has faced during his 12-year reign of the club.
His talented young side play two legs of the Champions League quarter-final with English rivals Liverpool either side of a Premier League encounter against the Reds at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Arsenal, who sit third in the Premier League, also travel to Old Trafford to face league leaders Manchester United on April 13 in a must win game for the North Londoners.
"It will certainly be the highest challenge for me," said Wenger at his pre-match press conference.
"If you look at the next 10 days or so it will define our season because I strongly believe that we are in the title race.
Arsene Wenger, Arsenal manager: "It will certainly be the highest challenge for me."
"Our next two games in the Premier League are Liverpool and Manchester United and then, on top of that, we have two Champions League games against so this next period is vital. And the impact of the first game is also vital."
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez believes Spanish striker Fernando Torres will be the key man for his side.
The 24-year-old has so far amassed 28 goals in his first season at Anfield, including four in the Champions League.
And Benitez is backing him to fire Liverpool past Arsenal and into the semi-finals of the competition and a possible date with old enemies Chelsea.
"Arsenal will know that Torres is on fire and is scoring goals and will be a problem for them," Benitez told a press conference at Melwood.
"Fernando also knows that if we play well he will score goals, so he will work hard for the team. As this is a European competition he wants to play well and score goals.
"He has a great mentality and is very competitive, but against the top sides he must be focused and have confidence in himself because against the best defenders it will be more difficult."
Benitez also confirmed that Argentine midfielder Javier Mascherano will start at the Emirates after his league suspension.
Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa and Fabio Aurelio also return to the Liverpool squad after overcoming injuries.
Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor, meanwhile, is likely to return to the side after being left out of the staring eleven against Bolton on Saturday.
But Czech playmaker Tomas Rosicky is still out with a hamstring injury he sustained in early January.
In Wednesday’s other Champions League game, English side Chelsea travel to Turkey to face Fenerbahce.
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