Arsenal continue their Premier League campaign on Sunday as the reigning champions travel to Anfield
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta faces an anxious wait over Riccardo Calafiori’s fitness ahead of Sunday’s crucial Premier League clash with Liverpool at Anfield. football.london The Italian defender is understood to be a major doubt for the trip to Merseyside, although the exact nature of his injury remains unclear.
Calafiori was a surprise omission from Arsenal’s starting line-up against Everton, coming on just 22 minutes after coming on. His physical struggles forced Noni Madueke to finish the match at left-back, with the Italian unable to execute certain moves comfortably.
The defender was later seen clutching his hip and stomach, raising concerns he was injured after accidentally colliding with an Everton player. As Sunday’s heavyweight bout approaches, fears are growing that Calafiori will not recover in time.
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Arteta will be desperate to have as many first-team players as possible, especially after Arsenal suffered a humiliating Carabao Cup loss at the hands of Fleetwood Town. The Gunners were beaten 5-3 on penalties and will now be determined to answer one of their biggest rivals for the Premier League title.
However, Calafiori is far from the only injury problem plaguing the Arsenal boss. Bukayo Saka facing a considerably longer spell on the sidelines.
The England winger is not expected to return from a quadriceps injury until early December at the earliest, leaving Arteta without one of his most influential attacking players.
William Saliba is another important vacation. Although the French centre-back has made encouraging progress in his recovery, Arsenal are expected to take a cautious approach and delay his return until after the international break.
There are also questions around Mikel Merinos fitness after the Spanish midfielder unexpectedly missed the trip to Fleetwood.
Merinos was originally expected to feature in the Carabao Cup clash but was eventually left out of the traveling squad due to illness. Arteta opted to give him extra recovery time in the hope that he will be fit for the Liverpool match.
Meanwhile, Declan Rice and You Maduek Both were out of the midweek defeat to Fleetwood, although there is optimism surrounding their availability for Sunday’s clash. Rice suffered a hamstring problem in the second half against Everton and strained the back of his right thigh before being substituted.
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Nevertheless, the England international took part in Arsenal’s training session on Monday, encouraging his setback was not serious. Madueke, however, missed the cup match due to an ankle injury.
Both players are expected to be fit for the Liverpool clash, barring any further complications.
Christos Tzolis He could give Arsenal a timely boost as he continues to work on his recovery from an injury sustained while representing Greece on international duty.
As previously reported football.londonTzolis has a chance to feature against Liverpool, potentially marking his first appearance since the international break. While his participation in team practice has yet to be seen in public, that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been participating in group sessions.
Much of his rehabilitation has taken place at Arsenal’s London Colney training complex, where he has remained close to the first-team squad.
Arteta also has to contend with a lack of potential Max Dowman, He is currently suspended after receiving a straight red card for violent conduct in the defeat to Fleetwood. The Gunners appealed to the Football Association to overturn the decision, but it was rejected.
Arsenal will be eager to put their cup disappointment behind them and boost their Premier League title ambitions, but their chances of securing a vital three points at Anfield could depend heavily on how many of their injured stars recover in time.