Two Arsenal stars ruled out vs Liverpool as Mikel Arteta provides Kai Havertz injury update - The Mirror

Arsenal host Liverpool on Thursday for a mouth-watering Premier League fixture and Mikel Arteta hopes to have Kai Havertz available, but two players have been already ruled out

Arsenal defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Riccardo Calafiori have been ruled out of Thursday's clash with Liverpool. But Kai Havertz could feature after Mikel Arteta revealed that he's close to returning.

Havertz, 26, hasn't made an appearance since suffering a knee injury back in August. The Germany international was named on the bench for last week's 4-1 victory over Aston Villa, but he was notably left at home when Arsenal beat Bournemouth 3-2 on Saturday.

Now Havertz is in contention to face Liverpool at the Emirates, with the forward having trained on Wednesday morning. "We are monitoring his load," Arteta confirmed in 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."

But Arsenal won't be able to call on either Mosquera or 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 are one of only two sides to have beaten the Gunners this season - the other being Villa - and Arteta feels that his team have 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 continued.

"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."

What score will Arsenal vs Liverpool be? Give us your prediction in the comments section.

Arteta was also complimentary of his opposite number, Arne Slot, who's faced criticism this season amid Liverpool's weak defence of the title. "Liverpool have a great manager," he added.

"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."

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