Image Credits: Imago Images
Arsenal host reigning Premier League champions Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday evening with kick-off slated for 8pm local time.
The Gunners enter the encounter in scintillating form, having won seven consecutive matches across all competitions and extending their lead at the Premier League summit to six points. With just one defeat in their opening 21 league matches—a narrow loss at Anfield in August courtesy of a late Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick—Arsenal will be eager for revenge against Arne Slot’s side.
Liverpool, meanwhile, arrive in north London unbeaten in nine games but have drawn four of their last seven fixtures, including a frustrating 2-2 stalemate with Fulham that saw them surrender two points deep into stoppage time. Missing key attackers Mohamed Salah (AFCON duty) and Alexander Isak (long-term injury), the Reds face a stern test against an Arsenal defence that has conceded just 14 league goals this season – half the total Liverpool have shipped.
Ahead of the game, Mikel Arteta has addressed the injury concerns his squad, with the defence particularly depleted. Speaking in his pre-Liverpool press conference, the Spaniard confirmed that both Cristhian Mosquera and Riccardo Calafiori are out for the Reds’ visit:
“No, they’re out again. I think pretty soon they have to go to the last stage of the rehab. I think everything goes well, hopefully very soon they will be available for selection.”
21-year-old Mosquera has now been absent for over a month, with his complicated ankle issue initially feared to keep him out for up to six weeks. Calafiori, meanwhile, has missed Arsenal’s last three matches after what Arteta described as a “very awkward” muscular setback.
In more positive news for the home side, Kai Havertz is closing in on a return to action after being left out of the squad against Bournemouth for load management purposes. Arteta said: “Yeah, we are monitoring, obviously, his load. He has been out for a long time for two different reasons, and he’s very close. He trained this morning again, and hopefully, we’re going to have him available and the best version of Kai Havertz.”
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