Arsenal’s preparations for their highly-anticipated Premier League clash against Liverpool have been dealt a potential blow, with fears growing over the fitness of key defender Riccardo Calafiori. The Italian international, who arrived at the Emirates Stadium in a £42 million move from Bologna in the summer, was forced off during Tuesday’s hard-fought 1-0 Champions League victory over Shakhtar Donetsk.
Calafiori’s injury compounds Arsenal’s defensive concerns, with Mikel Arteta already facing the prospect of being without several crucial players for the trip to Anfield. England starlet Bukayo Saka is unlikely to feature due to a hamstring issue, while Martin Ødegaard and Jurriën Timber are also major doubts. The absence of William Saliba, who is suspended following his red card against Bournemouth, further limits Arteta’s options at the back.
Arteta Assesses Injury Fallout
Speaking after the Shakhtar game, Arteta admitted that the initial prognosis on Calafiori was not encouraging. “With Riccy he had to come off because he felt something,” the Arsenal boss revealed. “I don’t know the extent of it so in that sense not great news. He could not continue playing so, a bit of a worry.”
Despite the injury setbacks, Arteta remains confident that his side will rise to the challenge against Liverpool. “Believe me, on Sunday we’ll be flying,” he defiantly declared. The Spaniard hinted at the possibility of deploying midfielder Thomas Partey as an emergency right-back to combat Liverpool’s potent attack, as Arsenal aim to close the gap on the league leaders.
Weakened Arsenal Muster Win
The Gunners’ victory over Shakhtar, courtesy of an unfortunate own goal from goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk, was far from vintage. Arteta conceded that the performance represented a “drop off” from their recent high standards, but praised his team’s resilience to grind out the win despite their injury woes and the Ukrainian side’s dogged resistance.
We have now four days. Believe me, on Sunday we’ll be flying.
– Mikel Arteta
Defensive Reshuffling on the Cards
With Saliba suspended and Calafiori now a major injury doubt, Arteta faces a selection headache in defense. The Arsenal manager took the precautionary measure of substituting Ben White at half-time against Shakhtar after the defender picked up a yellow card, wary of the risk of going down to ten men once again.
“Ben, it was my decision to take him out,” Arteta explained. “He had a yellow card and we’ve played enough with 10 men in recent periods. I didn’t want to take any chances there.”
All Eyes on Anfield Showdown
As Arsenal turn their attention to the monumental clash with Liverpool, the focus will be on how Arteta adapts his game plan to compensate for the absence of key personnel. The Gunners will need to summon every ounce of their fighting spirit and tactical acumen to overcome a Liverpool side that has been in scintillating form this season.
With the stakes high and the margin for error slim, Arsenal’s trip to Anfield represents a pivotal moment in their Premier League campaign. A positive result would not only deal a blow to Liverpool’s title aspirations but also serve as a statement of intent from Arteta’s men, demonstrating their ability to compete with the very best even in the face of adversity.
As the countdown to kickoff begins, all eyes will be on Arteta’s team sheet, eagerly awaiting news of Calafiori’s condition and the Arsenal manager’s chosen defensive configuration. One thing is certain: the Gunners will need to be at their resolute best to emerge from Anfield with a positive result and keep their own Premier League ambitions firmly on track.
