Mikel Arteta says Riccardo Calafiori’s suspected knee harm is “not great news” for Arsenal forward of Sunday’s crunch sport towards Liverpool within the Premier League – stay on Sky Sports activities.
Arsenal’s laboured 1-0 Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk on the Emirates was overshadowed by Calafiori having to come back off injured within the second half after an ungainly fall.
Left-back Calafiori, changed by teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly, is the newest participant on Arsenal’s rising checklist of potential absentees forward of an enormous sport within the league towards leaders Liverpool.
Sunday twenty seventh October 4:00pm
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“He had to come off because he felt something,” Arteta mentioned of Calafiori after the sport. “I don’t know the extent of it so in that sense not great news.”
Calafiori got here off within the second half with a suspected knee harm
Arsenal can be with out William Saliba in defence via suspension after his crimson card within the league defeat at Bournemouth, whereas Jurrien Timber has not performed because the begin of the month on account of an harm.
Arteta can be unable to name on defensive duo Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney due to long-term harm points, leaving him with restricted choices towards Liverpool if Calafiori and Timber are unable to get well in time.
Martin Odegaard is one other that is still out, whereas Bukayo Saka has missed the final two video games with a hamstring downside, picked up with England. His harm standing can be an enormous focus within the coming days.
Arteta didn’t appear hopeful about Saka’s probabilities earlier than the sport. “I don’t know, he wasn’t able to train yet, so that’s unlikely,” he informed Amazon Prime.
Ben White was eliminated at half-time towards Shakhtar after selecting up a reserving and Arteta clarified after the sport that this was solely performed to stop one other sending off for his facet, quite than due to an harm.
“It was my decision to take him out,” mentioned Arteta. “He had a yellow card and we’ve played enough with 10 men in recent periods. They had a lot of density on that side, a lot of players on that side, so I didn’t want to take any chances there.”
Arteta: ‘Drained’ Arsenal can be flying come Sunday
Arsenal gamers have fun taking the lead towards Shakhtar Donetsk via an personal objective
Arsenal appeared “tired” by their very own supervisor’s admission towards Shakhtar, hardly encouraging forward of the go to of Liverpool, however he’s assured that his facet can be re-energised by Sunday.
“We played two nights ago with players coming from internationals after flying from Brazil and many countries,” mentioned Arteta, requested if he was involved the fatigue would impression the Liverpool sport.
“I was expecting a bit of a drop off. And the fact that we put so much in the first half and didn’t get the distance in terms of the scoreline, I think we paid a bit for that.
“Then we made life harder for us as a result of we began give the ball away in not the appropriate areas after which it was extra open. That did not assist. However we’ve got now 4 days. Imagine me, come Sunday we’ll be flying.”
He added: “We’ll evaluate, have a time off, then two days to arrange the sport. Sunday is way and we’re greater than snug that we’ll be in the appropriate place.”
Arsenal’s upcoming fixtures
Liverpool (H) – Premier League – Sunday, October 27 – stay on Sky Sports activities
Preston North Finish (A) – Carabao Cup – Wednesday, October 30 – stay on Sky Sports activities
Newcastle United (A) – Premier League – Saturday, November 2
Inter Milan (A) – UEFA Champions League – Wednesday, November 6
Chelsea (A) – Premier League – Sunday, November 10 – stay on Sky Sports activities
Nottingham Forest (H) – Premier League – Saturday, November 23
Sporting Lisbon (A) – UEFA Champions League – Tuesday, November 26
West Ham United (A) – Premier League – Saturday, November 30 – stay on Sky Sports activities
