Liverpool have been warned to watch out for Mikel Arteta in their back-to-back meetings with neighbours Everton.
The classy Spanish midfielder scored a stunning free-kick in Saturday's 2-0 victory over Hull City to earn fulsome praise from team-mate Phil Jagielka.
Although the Reds are currently top of the Premier League table, they could be knocked off the summit by the time Everton arrive at Anfield next Monday night, should Manchester United win against Bolton and Wigan in the interim.
Monday's meeting in the first of an intriguing two-part showdown between the Merseyside rivals as they meet again in the FA Cup fourth round the following Sunday.
And Jagielka believes Arteta is coming in to form at just the right time prior to the showdowns with Rafa Benitez's side.
He said: "There were some really good points from the win over Hull on Saturday, and Mikel's form is one of them. He is in great nick at the moment, which is good with the two Liverpool games next for us.
"His free-kicks have been particularly good. He usually curls them in, but he has been smashing them lately and the one against Hull was a real cracker.
"It is nice to see him back at his best, not only his free-kicks but also his all-round play.
"He is always great on the ball, but if you look now at the headers, challenges and work rate he is putting in that you would not always associate with him, he is making that centre-midfield position his own."
The two derbies will mean a lot to Arteta, who is friends with several of Anfield's Spanish players, in particular his Liverpool neighbour Xabi Alonso, the pair having played alongside each other for Real Sociedad.
Arteta said: "It will be strange playing Liverpool twice at Anfield in seven days, a very difficult task for us.
"But we will prepare for the games well and make it as tough for them as we can.
"I have talked to my friend Xabi (Alonso) about the games, but he knows as do all the Liverpool players that it will be tough for them."
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