Arsenal are training and assessing their squad today as they look to get players back and ensure that Thursday’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Liverpool goes ahead.
The Gunners were due to play Tottenham in the north London derby yesterday, but the game was postponed on Saturday as Arsenal did not have enough players to fulfil the fixture due to illness, injury and international absences.
Arsenal are next in action against Liverpool on Thursday and they will hope to have enough players back to fulfil a fixture that has already been postponed once, with Jurgen Klopp’s side suffering a Covid-19 outbreak earlier this month.
The squad trained at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, but that was pre-planned and occasionally happens the day before a game. The players were due back at their usual base in London Colney today, with regular Covid-19 testing due to take place before training.
Like the Premier League, EFL regulations state that squads must have 14 players available to fulfil a fixture, however each case will be reviewed on its own merits. The regulations reference “registered players” as those who can take part in a game, which could include a number of Arsenal’s Under-23 players given they have played in the Papa John’s Trophy this season - an EFL competition.
Arsenal will assess their available players as the week goes on, having been without 12 first-teamers after their 0-0 draw with Liverpool in the first leg last week. Another player also tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday, although that result was discovered after the Premier League had postponed Sunday’s match with Tottenham.
Martin Odegaard, who tested positive for Covid-19 last week, is one player who could return, while Emile Smith Rowe (groin) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (calf) could be back too. Bukayo Saka, Cedric Soares and Calum Chambers all picked up injuries against Liverpool and will be assessed as the week goes on.
There was a fierce backlash to Arsenal’s game against Tottenham being postponed, with Spurs themselves voicing their frustration in a strong statement on Saturday afternoon.
“We are extremely surprised that this application has been approved,” the club said. “It is important to have clarity and consistency on the application of the rule.”
Arsenal and Tottenham’s game was the 21st Premier League contest postponed so far this season, with Leicester and Burnley’s clash on Saturday also falling victim.
Despite the backlash, the Premier League currently has no immediate plans to review its rules on match postponements.
Questions around the integrity of the competition have already been asked, but it is thought these would increase even more if the rules on postponements changed during the middle of the season.
