As Arsenal gears up for a crucial clash against Liverpool this Sunday, manager Mikel Arteta is calling on Gunners fans to create an electric atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium to rally support for his beleaguered team.
Following a narrow 1-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League, Arsenal’s preparations have been hampered by a string of injury setbacks.
The latest blow came with the news that defender Riccardo Calafiori has joined a growing list of absentees after twisting his right knee during the second half of the match. Arteta described Calafiori’s injury as “not great news,” further complicating the squad’s readiness for the visit of Liverpool, a team they trail by four points in the Premier League standings.
Adding to the concerns, captain Martin Ødegaard and star winger Bukayo Saka were both sidelined during the Champions League victory, nursing ankle and hamstring injuries, respectively. In addition, William Saliba will miss the Liverpool match due to suspension following his red card against Bournemouth, while fellow defender Jurrien Timber remains a doubt. Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu are also ruled out, leaving Arsenal with a depleted defensive line.
Despite these challenges, Arteta remains optimistic, emphasizing the importance of their Champions League win.
It’s always great and important to win in the Champions League. We start with the preparations (on Sunday), and the place has to be rocking here against Liverpool to give us all the possible energy that they can.
In Saka’s absence, Gabriel Jesus was deployed on the right flank but missed a crucial chance to extend Arsenal’s lead just before halftime. Strikingly, the Brazilian has not scored for the Gunners since January 30, when he found the net in a 2-1 win at Nottingham Forest.
However, there is a silver lining for Arteta in the form of Gabriel Martinelli, who appears to be regaining his best form. After ending a 19-match goal drought against Leicester, Martinelli scored again against Southampton, and his first-half strike against Shakhtar deflected in off goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk.
Arteta praised Martinelli’s performance, noting, “He looked really sharp and fresh. He had another gear and a different level of threat, and he started the game really well.”
As the team prepares for the high stakes encounter with Liverpool, the pressure is on both the players and the fans to deliver a memorable performance at home.
