Arsenal are grappling with injury concerns ahead of their Premier League showdown with Liverpool this Sunday at the Emirates, as Mikel Arteta faces several critical absences.
William Saliba will definitely miss the match after receiving a red card against Bournemouth, adding to Arteta’s growing list of unavailable defenders. Kieran Tierney (hamstring), Martin Odegaard (ankle), and Takehiro Tomiyasu are also expected to sit out.
The Biggest Question: Will Bukayo Saka Start?
Bukayo Saka, who was unavailable during Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday, remains a concern. In Friday’s training session attended by reporters, Saka was absent from the main group, though Arteta noted he has been able to do some work individually. With one more training session on Saturday, there’s a slim chance Saka could rejoin the squad in time for Sunday. That being said, he has been spotted with the squad and the Gunners supporters would hope that a sign of good things to come.
Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori’s participation is also in doubt. Timber, sidelined since Arsenal’s win over Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month due to a muscle problem, had a light involvement in training, though Arteta suggested he’s not as far along in recovery as initially hoped. Calafiori, meanwhile, suffered a twisted knee against Shakhtar, and further tests are underway to determine the severity.
Defence Selection Headache for Mikel Arteta
If Timber and Calafiori are both unavailable, Arteta’s defensive options become limited, with Saliba’s suspension further complicating matters. Ben White may have to slot in centrally alongside Gabriel, while Thomas Partey could be pushed into right-back. Arteta has choices on the left, where Jakub Kiwior, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Oleksandr Zinchenko are all available.
However, there are fair expectations that Timber may be available and ready for the game later today.
Arsenal predicted lineup vs Liverpool: David Raya, Jurrien Timber, Ben White, Gabriel Magalhães, Jakub Kiwior, Thomas Partey, Declan Rice, Leo Trossard, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli.
