Emery happy for Torreira to risk Liverpool ban

Unai Emery insists he will not ask Lucas Torreira to play carefully and avoid a booking against Brighton and Hove Albion that would rule him out of Arsenal's trip to Liverpool.

Torreira and fellow midfielder Matteo Guendouzi are one yellow card away from a one-match suspension in the Premier League, having received four each this season.

They would be ruled out of the clash with unbeaten Liverpool at Anfield on December 29 if they were to be booked against Brighton, but Emery says the risk will not influence his plans.

"We are going to play the next match in Brighton, and we are going to play full, not considering the option of playing with more precaution," he said. 

"It's the same three points at Brighton as it is at Liverpool, and we are going to play first in Brighton, and it's a tough match. We need every player with 100 per cent focus to do all on the pitch for the win."

When asked if Torreira could play in a less combative way, Emery replied: "I don't know but I don't want him thinking of the possibility of action for one yellow card. I don't want to think that."

Arsenal responded to back-to-back defeats to Southampton in the league and Tottenham in the EFL Cup by beating Burnley 3-1 last weekend.

Emery is now looking forward to the hectic schedule of his first Christmas in English football.

"I am going to enjoy it with you [the media], working and playing the matches, and I think it's very important for the supporters for this moment to play," he said.

"To have a party playing with another team, with our supporters, Brighton is perfect, play Wednesday, in Liverpool, perfect, here on January, the new year, against Fulham is perfect. We are going to enjoy and enjoy only if we win!"

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the league's top scorer this season, netted twice against Burnley to move onto 12 goals for the season.

However, Emery is more concerned with improving his team's defensive approach than setting targets for his leading marksman.

"I want every player to be a protagonist on the pitch, with goals, assists, with the best in the game," he added.

"Our defect, and [what] we need to keep improving [on], is to have more clean sheets and to concede less chances for the opposition. It's one work we need to keep doing and do better."