No more delays, hopefully.
According to the Liverpool Echo, Arsenal are increasingly confident that EFL Cup semi-final second leg against Liverpool FC on Thursday will go ahead. Reports from earlier in the week had floated the suggestion that the Gunners request for the meeting with Jurgen Klopp’s side to be postponed. However, no more positive cases amongst the Arsenal squad and a number of players returning from injury, the game is expected to proceed as expected.
Martin Odegaard is likely to feature after missing the first leg due to a positive COVID test while Kieran Tierney, Calum Chambers, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel are all dealing with niggling injuries but expected to play a part in the game.
Granit Xhaka will miss Thursday’s game through suspension having due to a sending off in the first game, while Arsenal will continue to miss the services of Thomas Partey, Mohamed Elneny, Nicolas Pepe and Omar Rekik who are away on AFCON duty. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is supposed to be back at Arsenal due to health issues or some kind of disciplinary problem but doesn’t seem like he’ll be able to make it for this game.
Liverpool are still without AFCON trio Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita, while Thiago Alcantara and Nat Phillips are still injured. Harvey Elliot just made his return to training and will probably not be rushed here, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is a doubt after spraining his ankle over the weekend against Brentford. Divock Origi is also back in training after six weeks out with a knee problem and may feature.
