Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta believes that his side's victory over Liverpool on Saturday sent out a message to the Premier League title challengers.

The Gunners defeated the Reds 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium to move five points clear at the top of the table.

"For us today was a great day," Arsenal's official website quotes him as saying. "We want to stay where we are and we will make it difficult for the rest. We played a really good team. They have been on fire in the past couple of weeks.

"It was a great test to see where we are and we showed that we are at least as good as them. We are tested every week. People have been waiting for us to lose. But we showed today the desire that we have to stay we are.

"I feel this is a very good message. We wanted to get the points at home. But we know there is still a long way to go."

Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey were on target for Arsenal against Liverpool.