Declan Rice and Noni Madueke are both expected to be available for Arsenal's Premier League trip to Liverpool on Sunday, in a major boost for Mikel Arteta after the pair missed Tuesday's shock Carabao Cup exit at Fleetwood Town — but there is genuine concern over Riccardo Calafiori.
Arteta confirmed after the Fleetwood defeat that all three players had been left out through injury. Rice finished Saturday's 2-0 win over Everton with a problem and had to be substituted late on, Madueke was out with an ankle issue, and Calafiori was also absent after picking up a knock.
What Arteta said at Fleetwood
Speaking after the penalty shootout defeat, Arteta explained the absences plainly. As reported by football.london, he said Calafiori was out, Madueke was out with an ankle, and Rice had finished the Everton game with a problem — which was why he had to substitute him.
Rice was pictured training with his team-mates on Monday, which always pointed towards a precautionary absence at Fleetwood rather than a serious setback. He did not attend the Ballon d'Or ceremony in London on Monday evening, where he finished 15th, as Arsenal managed his workload ahead of Anfield.
Madueke's ankle problem is likewise not thought to be serious enough to rule him out on Sunday, according to the same reports. That matters enormously, because Bukayo Saka remains sidelined with the quad injury he sustained against Bayern Munich, and Arteta said another scan was needed because of fluid around the muscle. No return date has been set for Saka.
Calafiori the bigger concern
Calafiori is a different case. The Italy defender came off the bench against Everton and was seen holding his hip after a collision, as well as clutching his side. The exact nature of the injury has not been confirmed, but football.london report there is genuine concern he could miss Sunday's game.
If Calafiori is not fit, Arteta does have options at left-back. Piero Hincapie came through his comeback from an ankle problem at Fleetwood, and Myles Lewis-Skelly started at left-back in the win over Everton. William Saliba, however, remains out with a back injury and is not expected back before December, while Christos Tzolis is closing in on a return from a hamstring injury.
Liverpool.com also covered Arteta's triple injury blow after Fleetwood, underlining how quickly Arsenal's squad depth has been tested in the space of a week — from a Champions League night against Bayern to a cup exit at a League Two side, and now a trip to a ground where Arsenal have not won a Premier League game since September 2012.
Arsenal's week has already been dominated by the fallout from Fleetwood, including their appeal against Max Dowman's red card, which would otherwise rule the teenager out at Anfield as well. Arteta's own reaction to what he called a very sad day set the tone: the response has to come on the pitch on Sunday.
So what does it mean for Anfield?
This is not a mid-table fixture Arsenal can rotate through. They went into the weekend level on points with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League, and a result at Anfield would be a statement after the embarrassment at Fleetwood. Losing Rice as well as Saka and Saliba would have stripped out the spine of the team. Having Rice back to screen the defence and drive Arsenal forward, and Madueke available to stretch Liverpool on the right, changes the whole complexion of Arteta's team selection.
Arteta is expected to give a further update at his pre-match press conference on Friday. Until then, the expectation — reported, not yet confirmed by the club — is that Rice and Madueke will be fit, barring any further setbacks, while Calafiori faces a race against the clock.
Beyond the Final Whistle: Arsenal cannot afford a hangover at Anfield, and the likely return of Rice and Madueke is the difference between a patched-up side hoping to survive and a title contender going there to compete. Rice in particular is irreplaceable in this team right now — if he is fit, Arsenal have a genuine chance of ending that long Anfield wait; without him, Sunday would have looked very different. Calafiori's fitness is now the one selection worry that could still force a reshuffle.
Will Rice and Madueke start at Anfield — and can Arsenal finally win a league game at Liverpool for the first time since 2012? Let us know what you think in the comments.
