Bukayo Saka is out with a quad injury and Max Dowman will begin a three-match suspension, after the appeal to have his red card against Fleetwood overturned was unsuccessful.
asserted
card → begin → Fleetwood
“We don’t know yet,” came the inevitable Arteta response.
asserted
response → know → ?
It was in contrast to his update on Declan Rice, Riccardo Calafiori and Christos Tzolis, who the manager confirmed all trained on Friday and look set to be available against Liverpool.
asserted
all → confirm → Liverpool
Madueke’s ankle issue, the one that ruled him out against Fleetwood, is not believed to be serious.
asserted
that → rule → Fleetwood
There is an expectation that he should still make the trip to Merseyside.
asserted
he → be → Merseyside
However, if it remains a problem and doubts grow, Arteta might have to get creative.
uncertain
Arteta → remain → ?
Here are three options Arteta might be considering for Arsenal's right wing against Liverpool...
uncertain
Arteta → consider → Liverpool
Noni Madueke
Arteta will be hoping that he has to go no further down his shortlist of options than this.
asserted
he → hop → this
Madueke has looked sharp since the last international break and has had bright moments on both the left and right wings.
asserted
Madueke → look → wings
He was threatening against Everton and it was his cross that got Arsenal back into the game against Leeds earlier in the month.
asserted
that → get → month
In the absence of Saka and Dowman, Madueke is the only natural option on the right wing and Arteta will be desperate to have him available.
asserted
him → have → wing
Madueke has been managing an ankle issue, though, and Arteta suggested that the Gunners will only make a late decision on his involvement at Liverpool after one final training session.
uncertain
Gunners → manage → session
"We don’t know yet,” Arteta said on Friday.
asserted
Arteta → know → Friday
“We have a training session tomorrow.
asserted
We → have → session
“[Let’s] see if he can complete that full session tomorrow, and after that we'll know whether he's available or not."
asserted
he → let → that
Now the experimentation begins.
asserted
experimentation → begin → ?
For starters, it would be a big call to start Tzolis in any position at Anfield.
asserted
it → start → Anfield
Read More
He has not played a single minute of football since suffering a hamstring injury while playing for Greece on October 1.
asserted
He → read → October
The winger is back in training and took part in the full session on Friday, but it would still be a risk to throw him straight back into the starting lineup.
asserted
it → take → lineup
There is also the added factor that right wing is far from Tzolis' natural position.
asserted
wing → be → position
All of his appearances for Arsenal so far have come on the left and that is the position he was signed for in the summer, as Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli departed the club.
asserted
Trossard → come → club
However, Tzolis has played on the right before.
asserted
Tzolis → play → right
He started on that flank and scored in a Champions League match for Club Brugge against Atletico Madrid last season.
asserted
He → start → Madrid
Across his career, Tzolis has made 26 appearances as a right winger.
asserted
Tzolis → make → winger
There is enough there to suggest that he can fill in if required.
asserted
he → be → ?
If Madueke is ruled out, the decision over whether to start Tzolis is likely to be a fitness one rather than tactical.
asserted
decision → rule → Tzolis
In a situation where Tzolis is not fit to start and all three of Arsenal's right wingers are unavailable, what does Arteta do?
asserted
Arteta → start → what
He has often proved incredibly reluctant to change formation and so instead it could be a case of Havertz being asked to do a job.
uncertain
Havertz → prove → job
In possession, he could drift into central positions and effectively play as a second striker off Viktor Gyokeres.
uncertain
he → drift → Gyokeres
When Liverpool have the ball, Havertz has the engine and mindset to work hard and play his part in the defensive shape.
asserted
Havertz → have → shape
It is far from ideal and on recent form, Havertz would be lucky to start for Arsenal anywhere on the pitch.
asserted
Havertz → start → pitch
Desperate times, though, call for desperate measures and there are few players Arteta trusts more than Havertz.
asserted
Arteta → call → Havertz
The Aporia
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