Arsenal may have just been hit with another blow ahead of Liverpool’s visit on Sunday, with Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber not spotted in training on Monday.
Both players missed the Gunners’ defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday. Saka was forced to sit out the game on the south coast after picking up a knock during England’s defeat to Greece in the international break, while Timber was withdrawn at half-time of Arsenal’s Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain.
Speaking to the press earlier on Monday, Mikel Arteta had been confident that the pair would be involved in training ahead of the Gunners’ latest European tie against Shakhtar Donetsk as he also gave an update on Martin Odegaard.
“They are closer. Both are progressing well,” Arteta said on Odegaard and Saka. “Martin is not fit. With Bukayo let’s see how he is with the training session later on.”
Addressing Timber’s injury, Arteta added: “We have to see how he deals with training with the whole group because he hasn’t done that yet but he will be pretty close hopefully.”
Neither Saka nor Timber were spotted making their way out for training later that same day though. With media present for the open session, there was no sign of either player during the first 15 minutes (as per Sky Sports).
It is of course possible that the pair may have joined in training once the cameras stopped rolling, or may have been undergoing their own sessions away from the main group, but the absence will not only raise concerns for tomorrow’s Champions League clash, but also for Sunday’s huge game in the Premier League.
Having suffered their first defeat at the weekend, the Gunners find themselves four points behind Liverpool, who sit top of the Premier League following the 2-1 win over Chelsea.
What’s more, Arsenal looks set to be without influential defender William Saliba after he was shown a straight red card at Bournemouth, although Arteta has indicated there could be an appeal against the decision.
“I leave that one to the club to understand the circumstances,” Arteta added. “The examples that are very clear in the same position and they will have to decide.”
Liverpool.com says: Yet more encouragement for Liverpool, although we’ll have to wait and see whether Saka and Timber turn up for tomorrow’s game or later in the week. In any case, the prospect of Arsenal being without Saka, Timber, Odegaard and Saliba on Sunday would make it an unbelievable opportunity for the Reds to lay down a marker at the Emirates.
