Arsenal and Liverpool meet for the second time in eight days on Sunday with one notable alteration — Mathieu Flamini is available again following suspension.

The Gunners were mauled at Anfield six days ago, overrun in 20 minutes of attacking brilliance that shattered their defences.

Wednesday night’s goalless draw against Manchester United was to some extent a 90-minute exercise in rebuilding those foundations before squaring up against Luis Suarez and company once more.

Their FA Cup fifth-round tie stands as the third leg in a quartet of fixtures that was billed as the period in which we would learn the most about Arsenal’s credentials to end their nine-year trophy drought.

They remain in the hunt for the Premier League despite taking one point from a possible six and with the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash against Bayern Munich to come on Wednesday, Arsene Wenger may view this game as a chance to rotate one or two tired individuals.

Of course, the counter argument is that the FA Cup represents Arsenal’s best chance of silverware but Wenger, rightly or wrongly, is simply aiming higher. Given the fatigue that has been prevalent in recent performances, Wenger is likely to use Sunday’s match to rest overworked players before Bayern visit north London.

Aaron Ramsey and Theo Walcott are sorely missed but at least Flamini is fresh after organising his own winter break with a rash red card in the 2-2 draw at Southampton on January 28. Much is made of the Frenchman’s organisational and leadership skills but perhaps less well documented is his ability to retain possession.

Flamini is not the most adventurous with the ball but, nevertheless, Arsenal were unusually wasteful at times in his absence, making simple mistakes against Liverpool that contributed to their 5-1 defeat.

Similarly, United’s two best chances on Wednesday came from errors in possession and perhaps Flamini’s return can restore some order. At 92.4 per cent from 14 League starts, the 29-year-old has the highest pass completion of any Arsenal midfielder.

Arsenal’s midfielders lost possession with alarming regularity at Anfield. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was the worst culprit, conceding the ball 19 times. Jack Wilshere did so 18 times, Mikel Arteta and Santi Cazorla 12 with Mesut Ozil the best of a bad bunch on 10 concessions, although one of those led directly to Raheem Sterling’s first goal and Liverpool’s third.

“Mathieu has been terrific for us this season,” said goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. “He gives us that little bit more stability at the back and gives some of the other players more freedom to attack. It’s good to have him back.”

Liverpool enhanced their own title prospects with a last-gasp win at Fulham that moved them within four points of leaders Chelsea. Aside from the form of Suarez and Daniel Sturridge, perhaps the biggest positive in their run-in is the absence of European football.

Brendan Rodgers will be able to limit the rotation of his squad while rivals re-engage with Champions League or Europa League opponents; ironically, Arsenal could help that situation further by knocking the Reds out of the Cup.

Either way, Szczesny would not trade places. “I wouldn’t give up playing European football — I think it’s integral,” he said. “Whether they have an advantage or not, I don’t know. You can also look at it as gaining experience when you do play in the Champions League. Maybe they will have more energy but I wouldn’t swap it.”

After Wenger opted against strengthening in last month’s transfer window, aside from injured midfielder Kim Kallstrom, any shortfall in energy levels could become a criticism levelled at the manager.

After high-profile games against Liverpool and Bayern, Arsenal have the relative serenity of fixtures against Sunderland, Stoke and Swansea before another demanding run that takes in the return leg in Germany, visits to Chelsea and Tottenham and a home game against Manchester City

“There is no special way to do more or less during an intense run of fixtures,” said defender Per Mertesacker. “When you behave like a professional you have to continue what you do through the whole season so you are ready for these big clashes.

“The concentration, the tension and the atmosphere will be bigger than normal but I’m still relaxed because we have had heavy schedules through the season and we’ve been able to pick one game at a time and think, ‘the next game is the really important one’. If there are four big games coming up you have to isolate each game and take one at a time.

“That’s really important during a heavy schedule. Our players have the potential to do it and we’ve shown that through the season. We have the ability to make these games special for us.”