Two post-deadline Gameweek 21 press conferences to bring you today: Liverpool’s Arne Slot and Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta.
Slot spoke to the media this morning, with Arteta following this afternoon.
You can find all the key quotes and latest team news below.
LIVERPOOL
Slot started his press conference by offering the latest on Hugo Ekitike, who sat out Gameweek 20.
While he’s not carrying a serious muscle injury, there’s some lingering doubt about his availability for Thursday’s clash with Arsenal.
“He’s not trained with us till now. Let’s see if he can today. I’ve said, I think, two or three days ago when we played Fulham, that he’s not going to be out for long but because games come so fast, he’s in between maybe training with the team or it would take him one or two days extra.” – Arne Slot on Hugo Ekitike
Alexander Isak (ankle) and Giovanni Leoni (ACL) are medium-to-long-term absentees, while Mohamed Salah is still on international duty.
Wataru Endo (ankle) has been sidelined for the last month.
Away from injuries, Slot sidestepped questions about the possibility of a renewed move for Marc Guehi, who Liverpool have previously been heavily linked with, and an early return for Harvey Elliott, who Aston Villa have loaned and barely used due to the obligation-to-buy clause that would be triggered after 10 appearances.
“My answer is always the same: we don’t talk about players who are not ours.” – Arne Slot, when asked about Marc Guehi
ARSENAL
Riccardo Calafiori (unknown), Max Dowman (ankle) and Cristhian Mosquera (ankle) remain sidelined for the visit of Liverpool.
“No, they are out again.
“I think pretty soon [they will be available]. They have to go to the last stage of the rehab, and if everything goes well, hopefully very soon they will be available for selection.” – Mikel Arteta on Cristhian Mosquera and Riccardo Calafiori
Mikel Arteta says he will continue to “monitor the load” of Kai Havertz, who has faced a long road back from a knee injury.
The German made his first appearance in a matchday squad in Gameweek 19, when he was an unused substitute for the match against Aston Villa.
However, he then disappeared from view again in Gameweek 20.
Havertz is training, however, and the Gunners are just proceeding with caution after such a lengthy lay-off.
“We are monitoring his load. He has been out for a long time for two different reasons. He’s very close. He trained this morning again and, hopefully, we are going to have him available and the best version of Kai very soon.” – Mikel Arteta on Kai Havertz
