Mikel Arteta says Arsenal cannot afford to feel sorry for themselves after a rash of injuries and William Saliba’s suspension ruined their preparation for Sunday’s blockbuster clash with Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Arteta’s side will be without Saliba after his red card in last weekend’s shock defeat at Bournemouth, with the Arsenal boss sweating on the fitness of several key players. Bukayo Saka, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber are all in a race against time to be fit for Liverpool’s visit to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
“We’re going to do our very best to somehow have them available. It’s very uncertain,” Arteta told reporters on Friday.
The Gunners have also been without captain Martin Odegaard since the Norway midfielder was injured on international duty in early September. Facing in-form Liverpool without so many stars is a daunting task, but Arteta is adamant his players will rise to the challenge.
“This is the game. Obviously we didn’t want to be in this situation but we are lucky to have the squad we have. Don’t feel sorry for ourselves,” Arteta said. “In a lot of cases it’s been very bad luck. It is difficult to control. It’s about how we react. The team has to have the resources to mentally adapt to that.
“We have had very difficult and challenging moments but I don’t think this is one of them. We are a good team and know how difficult we can be for the opponent. We have that ruthless mentality I love.”
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