Arsenal have swapped one headache for another: after crashing out of the League Cup at Fleetwood, Mikel Arteta now has three regulars to assess before Sunday’s trip to Liverpool.
Arteta confirmed after the penalty shootout defeat that Riccardo Calafiori and Noni Madueke missed the cup tie through injury rather than rest, and that Declan Rice came off against Everton with a problem. The report comes from Sports Mole.
That matters because Arsenal were already without Bukayo Saka and Christos Tzolis, and Anfield is a far tougher place to be short of options than Fleetwood’s ground.
The Gunners made nine changes at Fleetwood, and it backfired. Aaron Loupalo-Bi gave the League Two side a first-half lead, Viktor Gyokeres equalised after the break, and Fleetwood won the shootout. Teenager Max Dowman was also sent off late on. You can read the full story of the night in our report on Arsenal’s League Cup exit at Fleetwood.
What did Arteta say about the Arsenal injury news before Liverpool?
Asked about the players missing from the squad, and whether he regretted resting anyone, Arteta made clear it was not a case of rotation. Speaking via football.london, he said:
“[Riccardo] Calafiori was out, Noni [Madueke] was out with an ankle [problem], and Declan [Rice] finished with a problem the other day [vs Everton]. That’s why I had to substitute him.”
So the three absentees were dealing with fitness issues, not simply being kept fresh for Liverpool. Rice’s problem arrived late in the 2-0 win over Everton, which is why Arteta took him off.
Why Declan Rice’s fitness is the biggest worry
Of the three, the midfielder is the one Arsenal can least afford to lose. Rice is hugely influential in the middle of the pitch, and a league game at Anfield is exactly where Arteta would want him. We covered his exit against Everton in our piece on Rice grabbing his hamstring at the Emirates.
There is no confirmation yet that any of the three will miss the trip to Merseyside. That is the glimmer of hope for Gooners: the problems could prove minor.
Calafiori and Madueke: what Arsenal could lose
Calafiori would give Arteta another defensive option for Anfield. Arteta has already admitted he did not know the cause of the Italian’s issue after the Everton game, as we reported in our Calafiori injury update.
Madueke offers pace and attacking threat out wide, and that is worth even more with Saka and Tzolis already injured. If his ankle keeps him out, Arteta will be short of natural wingers for a huge game.
Arsenal vs Liverpool: will Arteta get the squad he needs?
Liverpool will be keen to take advantage if Arsenal arrive short of key players, especially with the reigning champions needing to bounce back quickly from a cup exit that stung.
Arteta will need positive updates from his medical team to name the strongest possible squad at Anfield. Until then, three question marks hang over a team that cannot afford another slip.
Author opinion
This feels like the price of the nine-change gamble: Arsenal lost the tie and are now worrying about who is fit for the next one. Rice is the name that matters most. If he is fit, Arsenal can still go to Anfield with their spine intact, and N5 will take that.
