Arsenal will be without Takehiro Tomiyasu and Mohamed Elneny for Sunday’s FA Cup third round clash with league leaders Liverpool after the pair were called up for international duty.
Their absence, which could last a month, further stretches a squad that has looked fatigued in the last couple of weeks. Long-term injuries to Jurrien Timber, Thomas Partey and Fabio Vieira have exacerbated matters while Oleksandr Zinchenko is also facing a spell on the sidelines with a calf issue.
Having only just recovered from a calf problem of his own, the Gunners had hoped that Tomiyasu would be available at the weekend but Japan have organised a friendly match with Jordan for Tuesday 9 January, five days before their Asian Cup opener with Vietnam.
Speaking to the Evening Standard after the defeat to Fulham, he lamented the timing of the competition: “I want the Asian Cup to be played in June, the same as the Euros.
“I don’t know why we are playing in January – not only the Asian Cup but AFCON as well. It’s not good for the players. But it is what it is and I will really try to come back with the title.”
Like Tomiyasu, Elneny is set to meet his compatriots this week. Egypt gear up for their AFCON campaign with a friendly against Tanzania on Sunday.
After recovering from knee surgery, the midfielder has played just 71 minutes of football for the Gunners this season.
Out of contract in the summer, he’ll be hoping to make a big impact for his country in front of prospective suitors. It’s rumoured that he could even leave Arsenal this month with Turkish sides Besiktas, for whom he’s already played on loan, and Trabszonspor sniffing around.
It should be noted that Mohamed Salah and Wataru Endo won’t be available to Liverpool at the weekend due to their own involvement with Egypt and Japan respectively.
As we reported yesterday, Thomas Partey is not part of Ghana’s AFCON squad due to a thigh problem picked up in October. Head coach Chris Hughton labelled the injury the biggest of the player’s career and wants the 30-year-old to focus on his rehab.
Elsewhere, winger Marquinhos, currently on loan with Nantes, has been selected by Brazil for the 2024 CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament which is being hosted by Venezuela at the end of the month.
The 20-year-old has already missed a chunk of the domestic campaign after helping Brazil’s under-20s to gold at the Pan American Games and there is speculation a second absence, this time with the under-23s, could be preceded by a recall to Arsenal.
Is Tierney currently fit? I’d love it if we could recall him from his loan.
I think he had a serious hamstring injury a couple of months back…
I doubt we can recall as Sociedad paid a loan fee.
Rise Sousa, time to give him a run out
It’s Kiwior time, or we go 3-5-2 with White Saliba Gabriel at the back.
Not sure about Kiwior, dont think he can play anything else other than LCB, and even then, the drop off between him and Gabriel is massive.
But Arteta has to find a solution, we have to take the FA Cup seriously this season, as its most likely one of our best chances of Silverware with the league campaign hanging on a thread..
I guess we haven’t really seen enough of Kiwior to pass judgement. If Zinchenko and Tomiyasu are absent, then Kiwior is the natural choice as there’s no chance Mikel plays Sousa against Liverpool.
Kiwor well respect in Italy . Champion league clubs like Milan always supposed to in for him . Could Gabriel play left back
Elneny / Tomiyasu out for us and Salah / Endo out for them is a decent trade off.
Suspect Mikel will go full strength for this one.
Certainly Liverpool depend on Salah more than they ever have. I would gladly give up Tomiyasu all season if they gave up Salah. The problem is that Liverpool are not the only side we have to worry about. I wish Belgium and Spain were playing a tournament too–we would lose Trossard and Raya; Man City would lose De Bruyne and Rodri.
I just have a feeling Jota will punish us. Hope I am wrong but he always has a great game against us. Idk why…
If they play a front 3 of Jota, Roberto Firmino, and Robbie Fowler, then we’re in trouble.
Recall of Marquinhos to sell or reloan or play for us this season? Anyone know how he’s doing?
He’s barely getting any minutes there. Feels like he would progress further playing for our under 23’s, or a new loan.
Heaven forbid if Saka got injured what the solution would be for our right wing. Trossard maybe. Or Jesus… with Eddie up front. But certainly won’t be Marquinhos.
Thanks, not a good sign if he doesn’t play for Nantes. Hope he gets a loan to better showcase and we might make a tiny profit from him.
Showcase what exactly? That dude is another sambi…another viera…another player bought, failed and then loaned…a recurring theme last few seasons.
I agree with you. I’m saying that we did shell out a few million for him. He needs a loan where he can play if we’re to recoup any of that fee. Although idk his contract, if it expires this year we won’t get anything.
Jesus would go out right and new forward we sign in the middle. May have to shift some players out to do it. Perhaps ESR will be sold to help FFP.
How you can use Eddie up front and solution in same sentence is interesting
Tommi is a big miss. Was hoping we could stick him on Salah – he’s kept him quiet before.
Perhaps he’ll be fit enough when the phlegm spouters visit us for the Premiership game. That is a serious must win.
Salah has gone to ACON
Japan v Egypt. Fucking great match.
Why do I have a feeling he won’t invoke the usual cup keeper format and therefore deliver another kick in the nuts to Ramsdale by not picking him against Liverpool.
Slight change of topic but I reckon we should try to pinch Sancho from Man U, he is finished there and we know he is an excellent player. Even a loan to the end of the season would benefit us and piss them off hehe
You know your manager doesn’t like players who have attitude problems. I have said here, we needed a couple of them. Sancho at Dortmund was as good as Saka plus he scored more than Saka does.
Certainly fits the ‘broken egg’ category but looks like he’s back to Dortmund.
Just for the Liverpool cup game and this game only this season I would like to see Bukayo Saka return to play left back. He previously established himself in this position and played amazing. The combination of him and Martinelli would cause Liverpool all sorts of problems and it would give him a change.
We shall send a player to Napoli so he can inform Osimen how great L. Colney is