Mikel Arteta admits he is still uncertain if Bukayo Saka, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber will feature against Liverpool on Sunday after the trio returned to training ahead of the contest. Liverpool are top of the Premier League after an impressive start, with the Gunners four points adrift after eight games. They were beaten 2-0 by AFC Bournemouth last time out while the Reds defeated Chelsea 2-1 at Anfield.
Saka has not played since picking up a minor injury on international duty with England while Calafiori was forced off in midweek in the 1-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League. Timber has not played since he was withdrawn against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League before the international break.
Arteta said on Friday: “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.”
Arsenal will definitely be without Martin Odegaard, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney while William Saliba serves his one-game ban after being sent off against Bournemouth last weekend.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have a handful of their own injury concerns to deal with. Goalkeeper Alisson Becker and Diogo Jota are both set to miss the trip to London while Conor Bradley and Federico Chiesa are doubts to feature as things stand. Speaking of the outfield trio, Reds boss Arne Slot said on Friday: “I think they feel good but not when it comes to playing for us during the weekend. Federico might train with us today or tomorrow – but Diogo definitely not. And Conor Bradley, let’s see if he can be with us tomorrow.”
On Alisson – who was injured while clearing the ball against Crystal Palace before the international break – Slot added: “He’s progressing well, like we expect. It’s always difficult to judge him. I think the best way to judge an injury is in the end of an injury, the end phase of his rehab, and he’s not there yet. I can’t tell you how much longer he will be out, but don’t expect him to be in against Brighton in the cup or next week.”
