Arsenal handed worry for Liverpool clash amid Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber injury updates

Arsenal have been handed injury concerns over Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber after the pair did not travel with the squad for Saturday's trip to Bournemouth.

Saka came off with a muscular problem in England’s 2-1 defeat to Greece nine days ago while Timber, who suffered a cruciate ligament injury last year, has not played since being taken off at half-time against Paris Saint-Germain on October 1.

Neither has made the matchday squad for the visit to Bournemouth with Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday and eight days to go until Liverpool come to the Emirates Stadium. Saka’s setback is “not a serious injury,” according to Mikel Arteta.

The manager also suggested that Timber is “quite close” to returning but both were left at home on Saturday. “We are struggling a bit with the numbers, especially on our right side,” Arteta said in his pre-match press conference.

The clash with Bournemouth is the first game Arsenal will play without Saka, who has recorded seven assists and two goals in his seven league outings this campaign. Meanwhile, Timber had begun five of his six league games prior to his setback.

There was a positive update on Ben White, who did make the line-up against Bournemouth having missed Arsenal’s last five matches with a knee injury. Kai Havertz missed Germany’s Nations League fixtures this international break but was also fit to start.

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Further doubts Gabriel Martinelli and Oleksandr Zinchenko were named on the bench but captain Martin Odegaard is still not ready to return from his ligament injury. Arteta suggested that Odegaard could return next week.

“He’s not going to be fit for this game. Next week will be a different story. In that later stage of rehab, where he is at the moment because he’s doing a lot of stuff already, he needs to clear some markers.

“There are certain things he needs to be comfortable with doing, especially with the ball. Next week will be crucial to understanding how close he is.”

Meanwhile, loanee goalkeeper Neto was barred from Saturday’s match due to Bournemouth being his parent club, and so was replaced by 18-year-old summer recruit Tommy Setford.