Liverpool are arguably the worst team Arsenal could face in the middle of an injury crisis at full-back.
Few sides in the Premier League, or Europe for that matter, can match the Reds’ threat out wide, which is spearheaded by Mohamed Salah.
The Egyptian has an impressive record against Arsenal, scoring 10 goals against the Gunners in 14 Premier League matches.
But six of those were before Mikel Arteta’s time as manager and, since the Spaniard has been in charge, Salah has found the net four times in eight games as opposed to his record before of six in six.
Arteta has found ways to keep Salah quiet, with the most effective strategy proving to be using Takehiro Tomiyasu at left-back.
The Japan international performed brilliantly against Liverpool when Arsenal beat them 3-2 in October 2022.
It was the last Premier League game in which Salah failed to score against Arsenal and he was essentially man-marked out of the match by Tomiyasu.
“That’s what we hoped he would do and he exactly did that,” said Arteta. “To think of doing that against Salah and actually doing it is a very different story.”
The frustration for Arteta is that, not only is Tomiyasu injured, but so are Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori.
Timber, like Tomiyasu, would give Arsenal a right-footed left-back that could cope with Salah cutting inside, which is when he is so dangerous.
The Dutchman also offers pace and strength, showing himself to be an excellent one-on-one defender, which is also vital in stopping Salah.
Before Timber arrived, Tomiyasu was regarded as arguably Arsenal’s best one-on-one defender - but Timber may have taken that mantle.
That is why Arteta will be desperately hoping Timber can recover from a muscular problem to be fit for Sunday.
Timber has not played since the start of the month when Arsenal beat Paris Saint-Germain, and he missed Tuesday’s win over Shakhtar Donetsk.
Calafiori could have stepped up in Timber’s absence but he is set to miss out with the knee injury he suffered against Shakhtar, thought reports in Italy suggest the problem is not serious and will not keep him out for longer than two weeks.
Although left footed, Calafiori could have been an ideal opponent for Salah given his size and natural ability as a defender.
If Calafiori, Timber and Tomiyasu are all out, then Arteta is down to three options.
One of Jakub Kiwior, Myles Lewis-Skelly or Oleksandr Zinchenko will start at left-back, unless Arteta really does decide to get creative.
Zinchenko’s defensive frailties are well documented and he has history struggled against Liverpool.
He was skinned by Trent Alexander-Arnold for Liverpool’s second goal during the 2-2 draw in April 2023, while in the 1-1 before Christmas last season Salah skipped past him to lash home the equaliser.
Zinchenko started Arsenal’s last league game against Liverpool in February, which Salah missed due to injury, but he came off injured at half-time.
Kiwior was brought on and did well, keeping his place and starting the next eight matches.
He feels like the safest option for Arteta, given he is a more natural defender than Zinchenko. His lack of pace could be an issue, though, and he also cannot tuck into midfield.
Arteta may choose to surrender that tactic against a dangerous Liverpool, but if he wants supremacy in the middle of the park by outnumbering Arne Slot’s side, then Kiwior is not his man.
The fact Zinchenko has only just returned from a calf injury that has kept him out since August complicates matters and it is why Lewis-Skelly has suddenly emerged as an option. Arteta turned to the 18-year-old on Tuesday night when Calafiori went off, but he has never started a Premier League game.
The teenager is highly thought of by Arsenal, who have moulded him into a left-back after he came through the ranks as a midfielder, and physically he’s built beyond his years.
The fear would be putting him up against an experienced winger like Salah, who could quite easily torment Lewis-Skelly.
Either way, whoever Arteta picks at left-back, Gabriel Martinelli will have a huge role to play.
One of the big reasons Arteta is such a fan of the Brazilian is his work off the ball.
On Sunday, with Arsenal short on left-back options, Martinelli will need to give whoever is behind him plenty of help.
