Arsenal duo ruled out injured vs Liverpool but Kai Havertz set to return

Arsenal duo Cristhian Mosquera and Riccardo Calafiori have been ruled out of the upcoming clash against Liverpool on Thursday. However, there is a glimmer of hope as Mikel Arteta hinted at a possible return for Kai Havertz. Havertz, 26, has been sidelined since August due to a knee injury. The German star was listed among the substitutes in Arsenal's 4-1 triumph over Aston Villa last week but was conspicuously absent from the squad that secured a 3-2 victory against Bournemouth on Saturday.

Now, Havertz could be set to make his comeback against Liverpool at the Emirates, having participated in Wednesday morning's training session. "We are monitoring his load," Arteta confirmed during his pre-match press conference. "He's been out for a long time for two different reasons. He's very close. He trained this morning again. Hopefully we're going to have him available and the best version of himself."

However, the Gunners will be without the services of both Mosquera and Calafiori. "No. They're out again," Arteta confirmed.

"I think pretty soon [they will return]. They have to go through the last stage of the rehab, and if everything goes well, hopefully soon they will be available for selection."

Liverpool, along with Aston Villa, are one of only two teams to have defeated Arsenal this season, and Arteta believes his side has a 'point to prove' against the reigning champions. "Excited. It's a massive game against the champions of the last Premier League," the Arsenal manager added.

"We have a point to prove. We're going to have our crowd creating an amazing atmosphere... We are top of the table, we play at home against a really good opponent.

"We want to maintain our position. To do that we're going to have to be excellent throughout the game. That's the point we have to prove."

Arteta also had words of praise for his counterpart, Arne Slot, who has faced scrutiny this season due to Liverpool's lacklustre title defence. "Liverpool have a great manager," he noted.

"They have a sensational structural understanding of what they have to do in relation to other players that they select tomorrow in the line-up, they can play in different ways, because those will make it a bit different and specific to what we can expect tomorrow and we have to be conscious of that and focus in on what we have to do."