Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has indicated that his team will do their best to have Bukayo Saka, Riccardo Calafiori, and Jurrien Timber available for their upcoming match against Liverpool, but the situation regarding the trio remains “uncertain.”
Saka has been sidelined since sustaining an injury while on international duty with England.
Arteta expressed skepticism about the forward’s chances of returning in time, noting that Saka had yet to resume training following the midweek victory over Shakhtar Donetsk.
On Friday, Saka was noticeably absent as the Gunners’ first team conducted their training session. Calafiori and Timber were also missing due to their own injury concerns.
Additionally, Arsenal fans are already aware that the team will face top-of-the-table Liverpool without William Saliba, who is serving a one-match ban after the club chose not to appeal his red card from the recent defeat against Bournemouth.
“We are going to do our very best to somehow have them available. But it’s very, very uncertain,” Arteta told reporters at his pre-match press conference.
On Calafiori, he said: “He needs some more tests, yesterday he had some and today he will have some more.
“Let’s see how it is.”
As for Bukayo Saka, he explained: “He’s done a bit of training on the grass.
“How far we can get him before Sunday, that’s another question.
“We have another day, that’s a good thing.
“But we will see.”
On Timber, Arteta added: “It was the first session [Friday] that he could have some involvement.
“He’s been out a while. We thought he would be further ahead.”
Liverpool will be without several first-team players.
Goalkeeper Alisson remains sidelined with a hamstring injury he sustained against Crystal Palace before the international break, and there are doubts over other key players, including Diogo Jota.
“[Alisson is] progressing well like we expect but it’s not a shot-term recovery, so difficult to judge him,” Reds Arne Slot told reporters.
“The best way to judge an injury us at the end phase of his rehab and he’s not there yet.
“I can’t tell you how long he will be out but don’t expect him to be at Brighton in the cup or next week.”
“I think [Jota, Federico Chiesa and Conor Bradley] feel good but not when it comes to playing for us during the weekend. Federico might train with us today or tomorrow, but Jota definitely not [available against Arsenal] and Conor Bradley, let’s see if he can be with us tomorrow.”
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