Arsenal are preparing themselves to take on Liverpool this weekend in the English Premier League but Mikel Arteta could be without some very important players, including Bukayo Saka.
Saka along with Jurrien Timber and Calafiori are all recovering from injuries and the Arsenal manager has admitted that all of them are still doubtful for Sunday’s home game.
The manager said in his press conference: “We’re going to do our very best to somehow have them available but it’s very uncertain.
“[Saka] has done a bit of training on the grass. How far we can get him to Sunday, that’s a different question. We have another day, which is a good thing, but we’ll see.
“[Calafiori] needs some more tests. Yesterday he had some, today he’s going to have some more and after that, we will know. Last time we thought it was really bad and he ended up playing two or three days after, so let’s see how it is.
“Timber, again, it’s the first session that he could have some involvement. He’s been out for a while, we expected him to be further back than where he is at the moment but, again, we have to wait and see.”
How will Arsenal adjust without Bukayo Saka and the others?
Bukayo Saka has not featured since the international break as he recovers from a hamstring injury and if he is not fit to feature, it will be a huge blow for the Gunners.
Saka has been Arsenal’s best player for a few seasons now and this campaign, the England international has already had nine assists in just 7 Premier League games. In just 569 minutes of league football, Bukayo Saka has an xG of 2.05 and he’s also created 27 chances.
If the 23-year-old is not fit and cleared then Raheem Sterling will most likely come into the side but even though Sterling is a like-for-like replacement, the former Chelsea star will definitely not have the same kind of impact as Sterling.
Riccardo Calafiori’s knee injury is also a big issue because William Saliba is suspended which means Mikel Arteta will have to name a makeshift backline on Sunday. Timber will be replaced by Zinchenko but Ben White will most likely come into central defence and Thomas Partey will play as the right-back.
The full-back position is not alien to Partey but it will be a very unstable backline which the likes of Luis Diaz and Mo Salah will relish.
Apart from Bukayo Saka, Calafiori and Jurrien Timber, Martin Odegaard and Kieran Tierney are also absent which means Mikel Arteta will be a very thin squad when Liverpool come to town.
Playing at home, Arsenal will be the favourites and the onus will be on them to pick up all three points however, with so many key players missing, Mikel Arteta will definitely be a bit nervous. They are already four points behind the league leaders so a defeat will mean Liverpool will move seven points away and that big a gap will be difficult to claw down.
