Arsenal will assess Declan Rice, Noni Madueke and Riccardo Calafiori before Sunday’s Premier League trip to Liverpool after Mikel Arteta confirmed all three missed the Carabao Cup exit at Fleetwood Town through injury.
The trio were absent from Highbury Stadium on Tuesday night, when Arsenal lost 5-3 on penalties to the League Two side after a 1-1 draw. Rice had trained on Monday and had been expected to be rested.
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Arteta said:
“Declan was feeling a problem the other day, which is why I had to substitute him.” Of Madueke and Calafiori, he added: “Calafiori was out, Noni was out with an ankle.”
Rice was replaced by Martin Zubimendi in the 80th minute of Saturday’s 2-0 win over Everton, having been seen holding his hamstring. Arteta has not given a diagnosis or a timeframe, and the midfielder has managed lower back and hamstring trouble since last Christmas.
Calafiori, who had started Arsenal’s first seven league games, came off the bench against Everton and finished the match as a forward, with Madueke moving to left-back.
“It was because he had a slight issue; we don’t know what it is, it seems to be something very small, but he was cautious about it,” Arteta said. Madueke played the full 90 minutes against Everton.
Elsewhere, Bukayo Saka remains out 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. William Saliba (back) is working individually on the grass and is not expected back before December; Christos Tzolis (hamstring) is closing in on a return to training; Piero Hincapie came through his comeback from an ankle problem at Fleetwood, and Max Dowman is reported to face a three-match ban after his red card.
Arsenal’s form and the games ahead
Arsenal have taken 21 points from eight league games, winning seven, and sit level on points with Manchester City at the top. Brighton are the only side to have beaten them in the league this season, and they arrive at Anfield on the back of three straight wins in the league, including Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Everton.
Arsenal have not won a league game at Anfield since 2012. The schedule does not ease: Slavia Praha away in the Champions League on Wednesday, Hull City at home on 7 November, Newcastle away on 21 November, Borussia Dortmund at home three days later, and Manchester City at the Emirates on 29 November.
Arteta is expected to give a fuller update on Rice, Madueke and Calafiori at his pre-match press conference.
Edited by Vignesh Raja
