close
close
newpress

Arsenal training video may have just confirmed big absence against Liverpool – Liverpool FC

Posted on by Josh L
Arsenal training video may have just confirmed big absence against Liverpool – Liverpool FC

“Liverpool” does not have five players who go into battle Arsenalbut Mikel Arteta’s side may be facing even bigger problems in terms of injuries.

The Reds travel to north London on Sunday looking to make it eight wins from nine and stay top of the table Premier League at the expense of the title rival.

Slot Arnethe Russian side will do it without Alisson, Diogo Hota, Federico Chiesa, Harvey Elliott and Conor Bradleyuntil Trent Alexander-Arnold continues to play through the pain.

but Arsenal are facing problems of their own and footage from their London Colney training ground on Friday seems to confirm that Bukayo Saka will miss out.

Saka has missed the last two games with a muscle injury and was considered a doubt on Sunday as his absence from training two days earlier suggests he will at least not be ready to start.

Riccardo Calafiori (knee) and Jurrien Timber (muscle) were also ruled out and both are unlikely to feature against Liverpool.

They join Martin Odegaard (ankle), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) and Kieran Tierney (hamstring) on ​​the injury list, with William Saliba suspended following his red card against Bournemouth.

Without Saliba, Calafiori, Timber, Tomijas and Tierney, Arteta would struggle to field a cohesive backline, with question marks over centre-back, left-back and right-back.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday 23 December 2023: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta during the English Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Arsenal FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday 23 December 2023: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta during the English Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Arsenal FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Ben White has been tipped to move into the centre-back role to cover for Saliba, but with Timber’s absence at right-back this may not be possible.

Arteta has the option of moving Thomas Partey to right-back, but that then opens up a gap in midfield alongside Declan Rice.

With Calafiori, Tomiyasu and Tierney unavailable, it remains to be seen who will also fill in at left-back, with Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kivior and 18-year-old midfielder Miles Lewis-Skelley among the options.

Also, without Saka Arteta, two of the struggling trio of Gabriel Martinelli, Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus may need to start.

perhaps Arsenal XI: Paradise; Partey, White, Gabriel, Kivior; merino, rice; Sterling, Trossard, Martinelli; Haverts