Arsenal certainly do have “a rash of injuries” on their hands, ahead of their crunch clash at Liverpool on Sunday. Last weekend’s win over Leeds saw both their team captain Martin Odegaard (right shoulder), and their talisman, Bukayo Saka (right hamstring), suffer significant injuries.
And while both injuries are substantial, they are reportedly not as serious as initially thought.
Liverpool vs Arsenal FC FYIs
Kickoff: Sunday Aug 31, 430 pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool, UK
Starting Lineup Predictions: Liverpool Arsenal
Team News: Liverpool Arsenal
Premier League Form: Arsenal WW Liverpool WW
Premier League Standing: Arsenal 1st, 6 pts Liverpool 3rd, 6 pts
Result Probability: Liverpool 44% Draw 27% Arsenal 29%
Gunners Team News
Odegaard was called up by Norway for the upcoming international period, so his issue can’t be all that bad. Regarding Saka, reports indicate that his hamstring issue is not as bad as they first believed. It’s not as bad as last year’s hamstring injury, which was on the opposite side as this one. Last year, he injured his left hamstring and missed three-and-a-half months. This time it’s the right one.
That said, Saka is ruled out for Sunday while Odegaard is all but ruled out. He’s a strong doubt to say the least.
Elsewhere Ben White and Christian Norgaard (both unspecified/undisclosed injuries) are both touch-and-go/late fitness test for this one. And then finally, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus (both knee) both remain out of commission, of course, but Gunners boss Mikel Arteta provided an update on the former yesterday.
“We don’t know exactly how things will unfold in the next few weeks,” Arteta said of the German forward.
“Whether surgery will be necessary or whether it will be treated conservatively.”
No matter what option they take, Havertz will miss significant time this season.
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. 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