LONDON (WS News) – Arsenal go into the game with Premier League leaders Liverpool with plenty of injury doubts, but manager Mikel Arteta remains confident that his squad is good enough to recover ground in the standings.
Bukayo Saka, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber are all injury worries ahead of Sunday’s home game, while midfielder Martin Odegaard is still unavailable.
Defender William Saliba is suspended after his red card in last weekend’s loss at Bournemouth, Arsenal’s first defeat this season, to add to the manager’s problems, but Arteta remains upbeat despite the difficulties.
“Obviously we didn’t want to be in that situation, but we are really lucky to have the players that we have, to have the squad that we have, to have the attitude that we have,” Arteta told reporters on Friday.
“When it comes down to reacting to a difficult situation, we don’t feel sorry for ourselves, we face it. We are a team that knows how good we are and how difficult we can be for opponents.
“We have had very difficult and challenging moments but I don’t think this is one of them. We are so energised, the atmosphere will be tremendous and we are really looking forward to the game.”
Saka has not played since picking up an injury while on England duty earlier this month, while Calafiori went off injured during Tuesday’s 1-0 Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk and Timber has missed Arsenal’s last three games.
“We’re going to do our very best to somehow have them available. It’s very, very uncertain,” Arteta said.
“He (Calafiori) needs some more tests. Yesterday he had some, today he’s going to have some more. Last time we thought it was really bad and then he ended up playing two days later.
This Congolese coach is putting a young boxer through his paces.
“He’s (Saka) done a bit of training on the grass. How far we can get him before Sunday is another question. We will see.
“It was the first session that he (Timber) could have some involvement. He’s been out a while. We thought he would be further ahead.”
Liverpool, under new manager Arne Slot, have also lost one league game, but after winning their other seven, have a one point lead over champions Manchester City with Arsenal four points off the leaders in third.
“They are in a really good moment and you can see the touch that he (Slot) has given to a team that was already very strong. You can see his fingerprints on that team,” Arteta said.
“It is a team that has been competing at the highest level for nine years in every competition.
“We are excited about it, it’s a big opportunity. We love these kinds of matches at the Emirates.”
