Arsenal are without Gabriel Jesus for their tantalising Premier League clash with Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.
The Brazil international was the star of the show in the midweek beating of Nottingham Forest, registering a goal and assist in a 2-1 victory, but Mikel Arteta revealed afterwards that he was managing an ongoing knee issue.
There was initially no indication that Jesus would be absent from the matchday squad, but the former Manchester City man has not been passed fit, meaning that Kai Havertz gets the nod down the middle.
Havertz’sinclusion is one of two changes on Arteta’s end, as with the German starting up front, Jorginho joins Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in midfield, with Emile Smith Rowe dropping out.
Jesus is not the only notable omission from the Emirates team sheets, as Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai is nowhere to be seen following conflicting reports about his availability.
On Saturday evening, rumours circulated that the Hungary international did not arrive in London with his teammates for unknown reasons, sparking concerns over a possible fitness problem.
Jurgen Klopp did not mention any injury or illness for Szoboszlai in his pre-game press conference, nor was there any communication from the club before kickoff, but the 23-year-old is indeed absent from the ranks for the mouthwatering tie due to hamstring tightness.
In his place, Ryan Gravenberch comes into the engine room as one of three changes from the midweek beating of Chelsea, with Cody Gakpo and Trent Alexander-Arnold also returning to the visitors’ XI.
Gakpo is recalled to the final third in place of Darwin Nunez, who was a doubt to face the Gunners due to the foot injury he sustained in midweek, although he has been passed fit to make the bench.
Alexander-Arnold, meanwhile, displaces Wednesday’s Man of the Match Conor Bradley following the death of the 20-year-old’s father, but Joe Gomez keeps his place over Andrew Robertson.
One positive for Liverpool arrives in the shape of Thiago Alcantara, who is back on the bench after nine months out with a hip injury.
Arsenal: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
Subs: Ramsdale, Walters, Cedric, Kiwior, Elneny, Smith Rowe, Nelson, Trossard, Nketiah
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Gomez; Jones, Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Jota, Gakpo, Diaz
Subs: Adrian, Kelleher, Thiago, Nunez, Elliott, Robertson, Clark, McConnell, Quansah
