Gabriel and Saliba in action for Arsenal against Aston Villa.placeholder image
Gabriel and Saliba in action for Arsenal against Aston Villa. | Getty Images
Mikel Arteta will hope that his Arsenal side find their clean sheet streak again against Liverpool on Thursday night.
Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães and William Saliba will be licking their lips at the news that Liverpool top scorer is an injury doubt for the clash at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday night.
The Gunners host Arne Slot’s side in North London in what would have been viewed as a key clash in the title race at the start of the campaign. However, Arsenal now sit top of the table and 14 points ahead of the Reds.
Liverpool nonetheless still have it all to play for with a Champions League qualification place at stake, and pride to be restored against the rampant Gunners. Mikel Arteta’s side have won their last seven matches, showing an ability to see out results in tight games.
Liverpool handed Hugo Ekitike injury blow ahead of Arsenal clash
Slot’s side travel to London off the back of draws against Leeds United and Fulham, the Cottagers levelling in the 97th minute last weekend. Liverpool are unbeaten in their last nine across all competitions.
However, the visitors may be without bagsman Hugo Ekitike at the Emirates Stadium. The 23-year-old didn’t feature at Craven Cottage due to a hamstring issue in a blow for his side, having netted five Premier League goals since the start of December.
Speaking on Wednesday morning, Slot said: “He’s not trained with us until now. Let’s see if he can today. I said, two or three days ago when we played Fulham, that he’s not going to be out for long but, because games come so fast, he’s in between maybe training with the team or it may take him one or two days extra.”
Liverpool paid £69 million to sign Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer and the striker’s goal output has been better than £125 million man Alexander Isak. Ekitike has earned widespread praise and caused problems for the top defenders in the league.
Gabriel and Saliba look to restore Arsenal clean sheet streak
Alan Shearer labelled the striker as ‘brilliant’ last month and, speaking on his BBC podcast in December, former Premier League striker Wayne Rooney said: “He's been one of, if not the best, signing in the Premier League.
“And fair play to him because the pressure on him must have been huge because obviously he cost quite a bit of money as well, but with Liverpool bringing Wirtz in and Isak, there was a huge amount of pressure on him to try and get in the team.
"And he's been the one who's the most consistent one for them in terms of scoring goals and his overall play has been really good. And he's playing with a bit of an attitude which I like as well from him.”
Ekitike’s potential absence is therefore a boost for Arsenal centre-backs Gabriel and Saliba, who would have had their work cut out dealing with the talisman. The Gunners are yet to keep a clean sheet since Gabriel returned from injury, conceding against Brighton, Aston Villa and AFC Bournemouth.
Arsenal’s early success this season was built on clean sheets with just three goals conceded in their opening 10 matches before injuries disrupted rhythm.
In other news, Forget Antoine Semenyo: Door opens for Arsenal to hijack Liverpool swoop for 'world-class' winger.
Continue Reading