Mikel Arteta offers injury update on key Arsenal trio after they missed training ahead of crunch Liverpool showdown
- The Gunners boss has given an update on Saka, Timber and Calafiori's fitness
- Arteta struck a positive tone, but it remains unclear whether the trio will be fit
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Arsenal are sweating on the fitness of Bukayo Saka ahead of Sunday’s crunch clash against Liverpool as Mikel Arteta faces a mass selection dilemma.
Saka has missed the Gunners’ last two matches with a hamstring injury he sustained on international duty with England. Arteta confirmed the 23-year-old has recently done some training which raises hopes of a needed return for the match against Arne Slot’s men.
Arsenal will be without William Saliba, who has a one-match ban following his red card in the 2-0 defeat by Bournemouth last weekend, while Martin Odegaard is not expected back until after the international break. Saliba didn’t miss a league game last season, his absence leaving a hole in the backline.
Arteta said: ‘He’s (Saka) done a bit of training on the grass. How far we can get him before Sunday is another question. We have another day which is a good thing, because this week we had an extra day. We will see.’
The Spaniard also refused to rule out Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber. Calafiori added to his manager’s woes when he suffered a knee injury in their 1-0 Champions League win against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday.
Arsenal boss Arteta gave an update on the fitness of key injured trio ahead of Liverpool clash
Arteta said winger Bukayo Saka (pictured) could play after doing some training on Friday
‘He needs some more tests,’ said Arteta. ‘He had some yesterday, today he's going to have some more and from there 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.’
On Timber, who has not featured since before the international break due to a muscular problem, he said: ‘He has had the first session he could have some involvement with.
‘He has 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.’
Defender Jurrien Timber (left) has been sidelined with a muscular injury since early October
Riccardo Calafiori is also a doubt after getting a knock against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday
In addition to captain Odegaard, the Gunners are also without Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney due to injuries, while Oleksandr Zinchenko is yet to feature since recovering from a calf problem.
On battling uncertainty over injuries, he added: ‘Normally I prefer to go to bed with the line up in my head so I can sleep like a baby!
‘But sometimes it cannot be as you have to wait for the next day. Sometimes two days before. Or just three days before you already have the idea, “Against this team this is what I am going to do” but when you have uncertainty with injuries that is tricky.’
