The two sides will lock horns in the first game of the 2017/18 season in the MTN8 quarter-finals at Bidvest Stadium this evening.
Arrows are back on the MTN8 scene for the first time since 2009, the year they lifted the trophy after thrashing Ajax Cape Town 6-0 in the final.
Gavin Hunt's side, meanwhile, are the current defending champions and have improved their squad immensely with two former Bafana Bafana midfielders Steven Piennar and Dylan Classen, who most stand out as the big-name arrivals.
Abafana Bes'Thende have virtually the same squad as last season and although Larsen has been quiet in the market, he is delighted to have kept winger Kudakwashe Mahachi on loan from Mamelodi Sundowns, as well as striker Knox Mutizwa on permanent basis from Wits.
“I think it is going to be difficult game for us because they've got most of their players that played last season, which was a very strong squad,” Larsen tells snl24.com/kickoff.
“So they just added extra depth to the squad so, whether the new players play or old players play, it's still a very strong Wits team, so it’s going to be very difficult for us. We just have to go and compete the best we can.
“With the question of whether it’s the best time to face them now, no, I'm sure they have had enough time, six or seven weeks of preparations. Higher level players adapt quickly, international players adapt quicker, especially the South African boys, both Daylan Classen, Steven Piennar - and they are both local boys and they should've adapted a lot quicker than the foreign boys.
“Whether they play or not, for us it won't be any different because there’s quality throughout, regardless of who plays, so we’ve just got to make sure we remain competitive and give it our best.”