Arsenal and Liverpool coach Mikel Arteta with Andoni Iraola
Arsenal and Liverpool coach Mikel Arteta with Andoni Iraola
Arsenal return to Premier League action on Sunday with a trip to Liverpool at Anfield, following the disappointing Carabao Cup fourth-round defeat at Fleetwood Town.
Fourth-tier Fleetwood won 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw on Tuesday. Aaron Loupalo-Bi put the hosts ahead before half-time, and Viktor Gyokeres equalised after the break.
Arsenal became the first reigning Premier League champions to lose a League Cup tie to a fourth-tier side. Fleetwood goalkeeper Jay Lynch made several saves as the visitors searched for a winner.
The league has been kinder to Arteta’s side. Arsenal are second on 21 points, level with leaders Manchester City, who have a better goal difference.
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Arsenal have conceded five goals in eight games and beat Everton 2-0 last Saturday to draw level with City.
Liverpool are fourth on 15 points, six behind Arsenal.
The build-up has been shaped by injuries on both sides. Six players are listed as doubts, four from Arsenal and two from Liverpool.
Max Dowman is suspended. An independent regulatory commission dismissed Arsenal’s appeal against his red card at Fleetwood, so he must serve a three-match ban.
The suspension also covers the home game against Hull City on November 7 and the trip to Newcastle United on November 21.
Bukayo Saka is out with a quad injury suffered against Bayern Munich. He is expected to miss at least six weeks, and potentially up to eight, meaning he is not expected back before December.
William Saliba is also out. He has yet to play this season because of a long-term back injury.
Declan Rice, Noni Madueke, Riccardo Calafiori and Christos Tzolis are the four doubts. Arteta confirmed that Rice, Madueke and Calafiori all missed the Fleetwood game through injury.
Rice appeared to hold his hamstring before he was replaced late in the Everton win. He trained on Monday but was not in the squad for Fleetwood. Arteta said Madueke was out with an ankle problem.
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Arteta described Calafiori’s issue after the Everton game as “slight”. Rice and Madueke are both expected to be available at Anfield, barring further setbacks.
Tzolis has a hamstring injury and has missed the last five Arsenal games. He has an outside chance of returning on Sunday.
Arteta is expected to address the media on Friday and give the latest on the doubtful players.
Liverpool’s club injury list rules out Hugo Ekitike, Giovanni Leoni, Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong. Ekitike is recovering from an Achilles injury, while Bradley is closing in on a return to full training.
The two Liverpool doubts are Dominik Szoboszlai and Víctor Munoz.
Szoboszlai has a hamstring injury, and Liverpool have given no return date. Before the Chelsea game, Andoni Iraola said he was unsure about both Szoboszlai and Munoz.
Munoz has been dealing with a knee problem since the Brentford game.
Liverpool beat Chelsea 6-5 on penalties in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday after a 1-1 draw. Iraola is due to hold his pre-match press conference at 1:30pm GMT on Friday.
Arsenal players lineup - Getty
Arsenal players lineup - Getty
Eli Junior Kroupi
Eli Junior Kroupi