Mikel Arteta makes one thing clear to Slot in stern 13-word warning despite Arsenal injury pile-up | OneFootball

It seems Liverpool are always about to face their biggest test under Arne Slot in the 2024/25 season.

Yet, after the Merseysiders face RB Leipzig on Wednesday evening, that is objectively the case with the Merseysiders set to pay a visit to Arsenal at the weekend.

The Gunners lie third in the table and are already staring down the barrel of a must-win game after suffering defeat against Bournemouth the prior Saturday.

Mikel Arteta promises Arsenal will be ready for Liverpool

(Photos by Carl Recine & Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Mikel Arteta remains confident, despite mounting injury concerns, that his side ‘will be flying’ against the Reds at the weekend.

“We have now four days. Believe me on Sunday, we will be flying,” the 42-year-old was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.

Arsenal are most certainly capable of hurting us, regardless of their growing list of injured key men.

Though, it bodes well for Liverpool that we’re heading into the tie with the best defensive record in the English top-flight (only three goals conceded). Only one of those goals came in an away league tie against Wolves back in the tail-end of September, and frankly, it resulted from a clear miscommunication at the back instead of a well-worked team goal.

It’s unsurprising, then, that pundits have since come out and revisited Liverpool’s title chances in the wake of a 2-1 win over Chelsea.

If any Premier League outfit is capable of going to North London and keeping Arteta’s men quiet, you’d think we have the best chance.

Nonetheless, we’d be foolish not to expect a completely different challenge to that faced during our pre-season encounter state-side.

Arsenal face a selection crisis ahead of Liverpool visit

The Spanish head coach will have no doubt been buoyed by Gabriel Martinelli’s positive performance in the Champions League.

That said, it will have no doubt escaped his attention that Arsenal look set to be without the talents of William Saliba (suspension), Martin Odegaard (injury), Takehiro Tomiyasu (injury) and Kieran Tierney (injury).

The sight of summer signing Riccardo Calafiori being hooked against Shakhtar after suffering a possible knee injury won’t have helped matters.