LISTEN: Arsenal Fans Need to Stop Making Excuses

Arsenal host Liverpool on Sunday in a key match at the top of the Premier League table, with the Gunners seeking to close a four point gap to the early season pace setters.

Mikel Arteta’s side will head into the match facing several injury concerns, with captain Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka having a race against time to be fit.

The Gunners have defensive issues too with Riccardo Calafiori limping off in their Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday, while William Saliba is suspended following his red card at Bournemouth.

Chris Sutton, speaking on Mail Sport’s It’s All Kicking Off podcast, said Arteta would be ‘praying’ Jurrien Timber is fit to bolster their defence for the crunch match.

While Sutton suggested there could be a ‘level of sympathy’ for Arsenal missing their key players, Dominic King insisted the Gunners have to get on with it in their pursuit of trophies.

‘If they want to win the league and trophies you just have to get on with it,’ King said. ‘If you are a top team that have invested heavily over the years to get your squad into this situation you have to get on with it.

I think back to three or four years ago when Liverpool lost [Virgil] Van Dijk, [Joel] Matip, Fabinho and [Jordan] Henderson and everyone thought it was hilarious Liverpool were missing players. You have to get on with it, every top team has injuries. Are we supposed to feel sorry for them?’