Liverpool has a significant disadvantage against Arsenal this weekend with Jurgen Klopp potentially without five players. On Sunday, October 9, the Gunners will host the Reds at the Emirates Stadium in an effort to capitalise on their opponents’ expanding injury list.
With Klopp winning both of the last two meetings, Mikel Arteta’s top-of-the-table team has failed to defeat Liverpool in any of their previous five efforts. With the team currently in excellent form, the Arsenal manager will definitely seek to correct the record.
To help them continue to dominate the Premier League, the Gunners have received a late boost. Even if Arsenal is missing some important players of its own, the north Londoners will enter the match with a spring in their step thanks to the addition of a fifth member to the list of injured players that includes Andy Robertson.
Arthur Melo
According to Klopp at the pre-game press conference, Arthur has a muscular issue and will miss the highly anticipated encounter. The 26-year-old, who signed up for Liverpool on loan around the end of the summer transfer window, was not present for the team’s midweek match against Rangers.
Andy Robertson
Robertson sustained a knee injury during Liverpool’s Champions League loss against Napoli (4-1). The 28-year-old hasn’t played since missing the Reds’ last three Premier League games and is yet to make a comeback.
Despite the lack of concrete evidence, Klopp will be hoping that his star defender is ready to play against the Gunners on Sunday. Starting against the league champions Arsenal could be asking too much too soon, but if he plays in any capacity, Arteta will be extremely worried about the immense danger he carries.
The left-back shouldn’t be away for too long, according to the German, who last gave an update on the Scotsman at the end of last month. Manager of Liverpool said: “He’s doing great, actually. It appears to be pretty excellent, so he won’t be out for very long—or even too long, if you prefer—but the international break benefited in this instance a little bit. He’s already jogging on the field, which is a positive indication. I’m not sure if it will be the next week or the week after.”
Naby Keita
Keita hasn’t played a single minute for Liverpool this year after suffering a long-lasting thigh injury in the FA Community Shield victory against Manchester City last summer. Though weirder things have happened, it is very inevitable that the 27-year-old won’t fly to north London.
In September, Klopp provided an update on the midfielder’s injuries, saying: “No, I don’t anticipate Keita serving in a foreign country. We had to decide because the anticipated return date is somewhere in October. The same is true with Ox, thus due to their anticipated comeback, the two youngsters are not included in the Champions League team.”
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Being injured frequently during his career, Oxlade-Chamberlain is currently sidelined. In Singapore, the 29-year-old suffered a severe hamstring injury during Liverpool’s preseason victory over Crystal Palace.
The former Arsenal midfielder has not played for the Merseyside club this year, like Keita. In response to the absence of Oxlade-Chamberlain, Klopp stated: “It will need more time with Oxlade. It will take longer because the hamstring damage is significant. However, it’s a hamstring, and while we all despise the name and the injury, it does happen occasionally, and Ox was the one this time.”
Curtis Jones
Jones has yet to play for Liverpool this season due to injury, adding to the team’s suffering in the midfield. The 21-year-tibia old’s injury from a prior incident was brought on by his hasty return to training.
According to reports, his setback prevented him from practising, and Liverpool is no longer willing to take chances. As of currently, there is no estimated return date. Early in September, when discussing the child, Klopp stated: “Curtis experienced a stress response in a bone near his tibia the last time he went out. Although it was completely fine, he felt it again after training twice. Even if it isn’t as awful as the previous time, it is still unpleasant enough to [cease] exercising.”