Arsenal faces critical injury doubts heading into their anticipated showdown with Liverpool this afternoon, and manager Mikel Arteta has some tough decisions to make.
Also Read: Bukayo Saka & Jurrien Timber Join Arsenal Squad Ahead of Liverpool Showdown
Star players Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, and Riccardo Calafiori are all considered doubts, while the Gunners continue without captain Martin Odegaard following his serious ankle injury sustained with Denmark.
Saka, forced off in England’s match against Greece, missed Arsenal’s defeat to Bournemouth and their Champions League victory over Shakhtar Donetsk. Though he resumed light training on Friday, he trained separately from the squad and remains a significant doubt for the Liverpool match. Arteta hasn’t ruled him out but acknowledges the winger’s race against time to prove his fitness.
Arsenal’s defensive lineup faces further strains. William Saliba, suspended after a red card against Bournemouth, will miss the next three games, making him unavailable today. Calafiori, who was likely to replace Saliba, sustained a knee injury midweek, forcing an early exit against Shakhtar. Arteta admitted that the situation “is not great news” for the squad.
The left-back spot is particularly thin with Timber’s availability in doubt. Although he has been a reliable full-back this season, Timber hasn’t played since early October’s 2-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain, leaving Oleksandr Zinchenko, who is just back from injury, and Myles Lewis-Skelly as the few remaining options for Arteta.
The list of Arsenal’s injury woes goes on, with doubts looming over Saka (hamstring), Timber (muscle), and Calafiori (knee), while Odegaard, Tierney, and Tomiyasu remain out indefinitely. Ben White raised concerns after being subbed at halftime on Tuesday, but Arteta clarified that the change was tactical.
For Liverpool, manager Arne Slot also has his share of injury concerns. First-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker is sidelined until November with a thigh injury, leaving Kelleher in goal. Additionally, forward Diogo Jota, who went off injured against Chelsea last week, will miss this encounter alongside teammates Harvey Elliot, Conor Bradley, and summer signing Federico Chiesa.
Predicted Lineups:
Arsenal XI (4-3-3): Raya; Partey, White, Gabriel, Kiwior; Rice, Jorginho, Merino; Trossard, Havertz, Martinelli.
Liverpool XI (4-2-3-1): Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Jones, Diaz; Nunez.
Where to Watch
Arsenal vs. Liverpool kicks off at 4:30 PM on Sunday, October 27, with live coverage on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event. The match will also be available for streaming via Sky Go and NOW TV for subscribers.