Arsenal facing double striker injury worry vs Liverpool

The build-up to Arsenal facing Liverpool on Saturday has been largely dominated by potential absences for Jurgen Klopp’s side, who’ve faced the brunt of the international break.

Their first concerns centered around key trio Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Jordan Henderson. The former had already been ruled out of the weekend’s meeting with a hamstring strain, before the latter two looked set to join him in the treatment room.

Neither were involved in their respective countries’ final World Cup qualifiers, although, to no great surprise, both have been pictured at the Reds’ Kirkby training centre since. Anyone would think Klopp might have got a call in to someone.

It’s not quite as straightforward for Andy Robertson, however, who is waiting on a scan to determine the severity of a hamstring issue picked up while on Scotland duty. Naby Keita and Curtis Jones are still not back in training.

Arsenal facing double striker injury worry vs Liverpool with the fitness of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Folarin Balogun in question

But how about Arsenal? The main worry centres around Thomas Partey, who the Gunners are ‘hopeful’ will be fit in time for the trip to Anfield, but there could be some more issues to deal with in attack after a pair of concerns for strikers.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the only goal of Gabon’s 1-0 win over Libya but did not travel with the squad to Egypt as they fell to a 2-1 defeat. Gabonese newspaper L’Union confirmed he instead returned to north London, with other sources, and teammates of Aubameyang’s, stating this was due to injury.

Like with Mane there is every chance this is only precautionary and an example of the power Premier League clubs hold. Equally, Gabon were already confirmed to miss out on World Cup qualification, so their match held less significance.

However, if he isn’t deemed fit enough for Saturday, the options in Arsenal’s squad will be limited further by Folarin Balogun’s own injury concerns. The 20-year-old was forced off in the first half of England Under-21’s clash with Georgia on Tuesday in innocuous fashion.

A corner came in and under no contact Balogun jumped, started jogging and then fell to the floor. Having not been touched it’s slightly concerning, although while unspecified the hope will be that it’s nothing major.

Nevertheless, with Liverpool approaching, the hope will be that the captain is only left out as a precautionary measure, as if Balogun’s is serious it will leave the striker options limited to Lacazatte and Nketiah.

Gabriel Martinelli might constitute the more like-for-like centre-forward but Mikel Arteta is unlikely to opt down that route.