Arsenal handed unexpected advantage for huge Liverpool clash despite triple injury worry

Arsenal may actually have the advantage over Liverpool heading into their huge Premier League clash against the league leaders despite the injury dilemmas Mikel Arteta is facing. In terms of absences, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, William Saliba, Jurrien Timber and now Riccardo Calafiori could all be deemed unavailable.

Both Saliba and Odegaard can be entirely ruled out of playing with the latter yet to return to any form of outdoor training. The France international meanwhile, is suspended after picking up a red card, Arsenal's third of the season, in the 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth last weekend.

As for Timber and Saka, they were again absent from the matchday squad for the visit of Shakhtar Donetsk in Champions League action. Both before and after the game, Arteta was asked for an update on Saka with his answers making it sound not too positive he will be back this Sunday.

"At the moment I'm not very helpful," he revealed. "Let's see. We still have a few days. He wasn't able to train yet so that's unlikely [playing vs Liverpool]." Calafiori is now in a very similar boat to Saka and Timber after the Italy international appeared to pick up a knee injury on Tuesday evening.

Despite the possibility of having five of his most important players out, Arsenal do actually hold a rather significant advantage over their weekend opponents. Firstly, the Gunners have got their midweek fixture out of the way, with it also on home soil, while Liverpool still need to face a tough test against RB Leipzig.

That has already given Arteta and his players an extra 24 hours and with the Reds likely to return from Germany in the early hours of Thursday morning, it is almost impossible they will have more than two full sessions at Melwood before travelling down to London on Saturday evening.

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Three days on from their trip to Leipzig, more travel awaits Slot's side and that can have a significant impact, all while Arsenal just have to make the short journey to their home stadium. It may not make too much difference in the end, but these small advantages can have a major impact.

Alongside that, Liverpool are also dealing with several injury issues of their own ahead of the clash. Goalkeeper Alisson and Harvey Elliot are likely to be out and there is also doubt surrounding Federico Chiesa, Conor Bradley and perhaps most importantly, given his previous success against Arsenal, Diogo Jota.

"Conor Bradley, Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa didn't make the trip, so we have a few issues," Slot said in a press conference. "Diogo got a knock and the other player fell on to him, he couldn't carry on and it is difficult to judge at this moment. Ribs? Somewhere over here, bruised I think, so we'll have to see how long it is going to take."

Only Jota and Alisson being absent wouldn't quite compare to five almost guaranteed Arsenal starters missing out, but it certainly levels the playing field slightly especially when taking into account the travel differences of both teams this week.

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