Arsenal’s gigantesque task on Sunday could prove to be a daunting one, with up to eight first-team players expected to miss out against Premier League leaders Liverpool due to various reasons. Defectors include William Saliba, Riccardo Calafiori, Jurrien Timber, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kieran Tierney, Martin Odegaard, and possibly Bukayo Saka.
The combined absence of such prominent players could potentially cripple Arsenal’s chances, but their defiant head coach Mikel Arteta is refusing to use this as an excuse. “There will be a lot of drawing, a lot of possibilities, a lot of ifs,” he pronounced. “Probably the team that we start won’t be the team that finishes the game. It happens every week. I have to prepare for the scenarios: What happens if, what contexts the game throws at you and how prepared we are after to make the changes we need to do. Who’s available to play 90 minutes, who is not? That’s always the case.”
Arteta continued to emphasize that Arsenal’s squad was fortunate to have the depth and quality they possess, citing the likes of four-time Premier League champion Oleksandr Zinchenko and £20m centre-back Jakub Kiwior as potential defensive reinforcements. The teenage talents of Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri also offer youthful alternatives, the coach insisting that these players would be given the opportunity to seize the moment.
When probed about the prospect of an under-strength team, Arteta responded with a healthy dose of pragmatism, admonishing his players to “get on with it.” “Get on with it. Get on with it. Show your teeth. Show how much you want it. This means opportunities for other people, opportunities for us as a team to rebel against certain situations. We need the crowd more, on Sunday even more. Let’s keep going,” he implored.
There is an air of confidence and unflappable resolve about Arsenal, a willingness to adapt and overcome the challenges that lie ahead. And despite the daunting prospect of facing the Premier League leaders without their strongest side, Arteta is convinced that his team can rise to the occasion. “When it comes down to reacting against a difficult situation, we don’t feel sorry for ourselves – face it,” he explained. “We are a team that we know how good we are as well and how difficult we can be for the opponents. And having that ruthless mentality is something that I love.”
