Saka, Timber and Calafiori: Arsenal latest injury news and return dates ahead of Liverpool clash

Arsenal are heading into this weekend’s Premier League game with two things in mind: recovering from the surprise blow of losing William Saliba and the three points dropped, which have left them playing catch-up to the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool.

The thing about big teams is that there’s no time to lick your wounds. They’ve had to compete in the Champions League, which has resulted in another injury—this could be devastating, especially with games coming thick and fast.

The nature of the Premier League means they can’t afford to lose ground, so ahead of the game this weekend, here’s a list of the injured players and their potential return dates:

Bukayo Saka

The Arsenal star picked up an injury while on international duty. He’s missed the last two games, and if there’s one match they’d like him back for, it’s the one against Liverpool. England stand-in manager Lee Carsley suggested the injury isn’t serious, but the fact that he’s missed the last two games suggests otherwise. Mikel Arteta will provide an update on him, but it looks like he will miss the game again this weekend. Arteta said after the win against Shakhtar: “I don’t know [if Saka will be fit to face Liverpool]. He hasn’t been able to train yet, so that’s unlikely.”

Potential return date: October 30 vs Preston

Riccardo Calafiori

When it rains, it pours for Arsenal, as Riccardo Calafiori was forced off against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday night. Speaking to Prime Video after the game, Arteta said: “Riccy, I don’t know; he felt something. He could not continue playing, so it’s a bit of a worry.”

Potential return date: Unknown

Martin Ødegaard

The Arsenal captain hasn’t played since August, having also picked up his injury while on international duty. He claimed earlier this month that his return was ahead of schedule: “I’ve been working very hard on my recovery in the past few weeks, and missing out on big Champions League nights like this just makes me more determined and motivated to get back as soon as possible,” Ødegaard wrote.

Potential return: October 30 vs Preston

Jurrien Timber

Timber was among a handful of players expected to return for Arsenal right after the international break, alongside the likes of Ben White and Oleksandr Zinchenko. However, while the latter two have returned, he’s yet to be seen.

Potential return: October 27 vs Liverpool

Takehiro Tomiyasu

The Japanese player has been very unfortunate with injuries since arriving in the Premier League. He only recently returned from a knee injury. Not much is known about his current status, but rumours suggest he’s suffered another setback, which is quite worrying.

Potential return date: Unknown

Kieran Tierney

He suffered a long-term injury while playing for his country and hasn’t kicked a ball this season. His return date is still unknown.