There is absolutely no doubt what the headliner fixture is for this weekend in the Premier League- Liverpool FC at Arsenal. The Gunners boss Mikel Arteta provided an update on some of his injured players, and the fitness situation doesn’t look good for Sunday. Bukayo Saka (thigh), Jurrien Timber (knee) and Riccardo Calafiori (also a knee) all look likely to miss out.
Team Captain Martin Odegaard (ankle) won’t be ready either.
Liverpool at Arsenal FC FYIs
Team News: Liverpool Arsenal
Starting XI Predictions: Arsenal Liverpool
Kickoff: Sunday October 27, 430 pm BST, Emirates Stadium
Result Probability: Liverpool 33% Draw 29% Arsenal 38%
Let’s take a closer look at the Arsenal injury/fitness situation, starting with Saka
“He’s done a bit of training on the grass,” said Arteta. “How far we can get him to Sunday is another question. We have another day, which is the good thing, but we will see.”
There is a chance he features albeit a small one.
Odegaard is out until sometime in November while William Saliba is suspended. Regarding Calafiori, Arteta said this of the Italian defender:
“He needs some more tests. Yesterday he had some, today he’s going to have some more. Last time, we thought it was really bad, and then he ended up playing two days later.”
He could be set for a substantial spell on the sidelines.
Finally, Jurrien Timber will need to pass a late fitness if he is to make the matchday squad here
“It was the first session that he could have some involvement,” Arteta said. “He’s been out a while. We thought he would be further ahead.”
Prediction: Arsenal FC 1, Liverpool 1
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America and RG.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.+