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Liverpool Echo

Arsenal get Bukayo Saka injury boost as Liverpool game nears but concerns remain

The latest injury news from the Arsenal camp two weeks ahead of their top-of-the-table showdown against Liverpool at the Emirates

File photo dated 10-10-2024 of Bukayo Saka, who is out of England's Nations League game against Finland on Sunday. Issue date: Saturday October 12, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER England Squad. Photo credit should read Bradley Collyer/PA Wire.
Bukayo Saka has returned to Arsenal after picking up an injury while playing for England(Image: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire)

You would not blame Arsenal and Liverpool if they did have one eye on their top-of-the-table Premier League encounter at the Emirates two weeks today (October 27). But there is little chance of either taking their eye off the ball.

With domestic football returning next weekend, Arsenal know if they win at Bournemouth in the Saturday evening kick-off, they would leapfrog defending champions Manchester City and early leaders Liverpool to hit the summit.


The current top two play the following day with City travelling to Wolves before the Reds host Chelsea. Arne Slot does have injury and availability concerns for that match. The same applies to the visitors from Stamford Bridge.

READ MORE: Liverpool find themselves unlikely new captain as Arne Slot leadership group growsREAD MORE: Liverpool legend raises FSG question over Jurgen Klopp and Michael Edwards

But it pales in comparison to Arsenal who currently have concerns over eight first-team players, report the Liverpool ECHO's sister website Football.London.


Bukayo Saka is their latest and biggest worry. The star winger came off in England's shock 2-1 loss to Greece at Wembley on Thursday and has been ruled out of today's trip to Finland.

“He’s being assessed. In the build-up to the first goal, you could see he felt something in his leg," said interim England boss Lee Carsley after the game.

However, it has since emerged that the Three Lions believe Saka could have been risked against Finland. Carsley said before this afternoon's match: “Bukayo would have been close but it would have been unfair to take a risk with him. He’s a positive person and I expect him to be fine.”


Saka has since returned to London Colney in order to undergo further assessment. If he did miss out against the Cherries, that would throw into doubt whether he could play at home to Shakhtar in the Champions League (Tuesday, October 22) or against Liverpool.

Thomas Partey and Kai Havertz, meanwhile, did not meet up with their respective international teams, Ghana and Germany, in order to manage minor complaints. It is hoped, therefore, that they will play against Bournemouth.

But one player guaranteed to be absent for that game is captain Martin Odegaard, who looks set to be out until November with the ankle injury he sustained while away with Norway last month.

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Jurrien Timber and Ben White missed Arsenal's last outing before the international break, the 3-1 win at home to Southampton, but manager Mikel Arteta has suggested they will return for Bournemouth and Liverpool.

That is timely as two other defenders, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney, remain sidelined.

After the home clash with Chelsea, Liverpool make their way to RB Leizpig in the Champions League (Wednesday, October 23) before the showdown with the Gunners.

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