How Arsenal could line up against Liverpool without five first-choice players
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Arsenal's win against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League had its drawbacks, as Riccardo Calafiori's injury has raised more concerns for Mikel Arteta just days before the Gunners are set to face Liverpool in the Premier League.
Calafiori limped off the field due to what seemed to be a knee injury after he landed awkwardly during the second half of the 1-0 victory at the Emirates. Arteta showed his worry for the Italian player and acknowledged that it wasn't positive news.
Arsenal will be missing William Saliba, who is suspended, for their match against Liverpool. Calafiori could have been a viable option to step in alongside Gabriel Magalhaes in the starting lineup against Arne Slot’s team.
Arteta might also have to manage without the adaptable defender Jurrien Timber, who has been unavailable since the 2-0 victory against Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month, following a strong beginning to the new season.
Bukayo Saka was absent for the second consecutive match due to a hamstring injury he sustained while playing for England. Arteta mentioned that it's "unlikely" the forward will play against Liverpool, as he has not yet resumed training.
Arteta mentioned, “He couldn’t participate in the session as we had hoped on Monday. He still wasn’t feeling well, so that’s disappointing news.” Additionally, captain Martin Odegaard is still sidelined due to an ankle injury.
Arsenal fans had an extra concern when Ben White was taken off at halftime during the match against Shakhtar. However, Arteta eased those worries by stating that the decision to substitute the full-back was a tactical one and not due to any injury.
The absence of White and Calafiori highlighted Arsenal's defensive shortages, as the Gunners ended their game against Shakhtar with Thomas Partey and Myles Lewis-Skelly playing as full-backs. Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney were also out, and Zinchenko was only healthy enough to be on the bench.
It was notable that Lewis-Skelly was substituted in before both Oleksandr Zinchenko, who made his first appearance on the Arsenal bench since August, and Jakub Kiwior, who will probably be needed for the match against Liverpool.
Zinchenko has only appeared for 79 minutes in the Premier League this season. He hasn’t played since the 1-1 tie with Brighton because of a calf injury he picked up during the international break in September.
Kiwior had a tough time during the loss to Bournemouth after being substituted in during the tactical changes that came after Saliba’s red card. The Polish player was taken off after his backward pass led to David Raya fouling Evanilson, resulting in a penalty that sealed Bournemouth's 2-0 victory.
Kiwior has primarily played as a left back, as Saliba and Gabriel have formed a reliable duo at the center of Arsenal's defense. However, he stands out as the clear option to step in for the French player.
The 18-year-old Lewis-Skelly might unexpectedly be tapped to go up against Mohamed Salah in the left-back position. This scenario could force Zinchenko to play in his first match in a month, right after coming back from an injury.
Liverpool is dealing with a few injuries as well, and Arne Slot's team will have one less day to recuperate after playing against RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Goalkeeper Alisson Becker is sidelined due to a hamstring issue, and Diogo Jota is uncertain for the next match after he left the field early during their victory against Chelsea last weekend.
Arteta acknowledged that his team showed signs of fatigue in the second half against Shakhtar. He pointed out that Shakhtar might have leveled the score if it weren't for Raya's outstanding save, which kept out Pedrinho's long-range effort in the 92nd minute.
However, the Arsenal manager is confident that his team will bounce back and be in top form when they face league leaders Liverpool at the Emirates. This match is becoming increasingly significant at this point in the season.
While it might not be a do-or-die situation just yet, Arsenal definitely cannot afford to lose considering they are already four points behind the top team, Liverpool, and three points adrift of last season's title contenders, Manchester City, who are set to play against Southampton this weekend.
"Two nights ago, we had a match with players returning from international duties, having traveled from Brazil and various other countries," Arteta stated. "I anticipated a slight decline in performance. We exerted a lot of energy in the first half, but we didn't translate that into a substantial lead on the scoreboard, and that cost us somewhat."
"We made things harder for ourselves by losing the ball in areas where we shouldn't have, which opened up the game. That didn't assist our cause. However, we have four days ahead of us, and trust me, by Sunday we'll be in top form. We'll be ready to go."
Potential Starting XI for Arsenal vs. Liverpool: Raya; White, Gabriel, Kiwior, Zinchenko; Partey, Rice, Merino; Jesus, Havertz, Martinelli.
Potential Liverpool lineup for the match against Arsenal: Kelleher in goal; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, and Robertson in defense; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, and Szoboszlai in midfield; with Salah, Gakpo, and Diaz leading the attack.
