Arsenal are waiting on the fitness of Riccardo Calafiori before Sunday's Premier League meeting with Liverpool at Anfield, with the defender described as a major doubt for the trip. According to football.london, the precise nature of the problem is still unclear, and there are growing concerns that he will not recover in time.

Calafiori's fitness under scrutiny

The Italian was a surprise omission from the starting line-up against Everton and managed only 22 minutes after coming on. football.london reports that he was unable to carry out certain movements comfortably, forcing Noni Madueke to finish the match at left-back. Calafiori was later seen holding his hip and stomach, raising the possibility of an injury from an accidental collision with an Everton player.

According to the Evening Standard, he is also considered doubtful, and the paper proposes that Myles Lewis-Skelly might be introduced to fill in at left-back.

Saka out, Saliba handled with care

Bukayo Saka is facing a considerably longer absence. football.london reports that the winger is not expected back until early December at the earliest because of a quadriceps injury, and the Evening Standard confirms he is unavailable for the Liverpool match.

William Saliba is also missing. According to football, the centre-back is progressing encouragingly, but Arsenal are expected to act cautiously and wait until after the international break before bringing him back.london.

Rice and Madueke expected to feature

There is more encouraging news in midfield and out wide. Declan Rice missed the midweek cup tie and was spotted clutching the back of his right thigh before he came off against Everton; however, he appeared in Monday training, and both outlets say there is optimism he will feature at Anfield.

Madueke missed the Fleetwood fixture with an ankle problem. The Evening Standard reports that the issue is not believed to be serious and that he is hoped to be fit for Sunday.

Mikel Merino is another question mark. football.london reports that he was left out of the travelling squad for Fleetwood because of illness, with the manager giving him extra recovery time in the hope he would be ready for Liverpool.

Christos Tzolis, meanwhile, is working his way back from a hamstring injury picked up on international duty with Greece. football.According to london, he has a slim chance of playing, whereas the Evening Standard observes that it is still unclear whether this game arrives too early.

Dowman suspension adds to the puzzle

Max Dowman is unavailable due to suspension following his red card against Fleetwood, and the Evening Standard says Arsenal will lodge an appeal but cannot ensure a decision will come before Sunday. The same outlet was critical of Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres in the cup defeat, noting that neither did enough to suggest they should start up front.

Arsenal travel to Anfield on the back of a 1-1 draw at Fleetwood Town, which ended in a 5-3 penalty shootout defeat and elimination from the EFL Cup.

Photo: Bryan Berlin via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, resized.