Mind games or major problems? Mikel Arteta was in typically evasive mood ahead of Arsenal's clash with Liverpool at Anfield this weekend.

The Gunners are already short on the right wing. Bukayo Saka is out with a quad injury and Max Dowman will begin a three-match suspension, after the appeal to have his red card against Fleetwood overturned was unsuccessful.

One of the big questions, then, ahead of Arteta's press conference on Friday was over the availability of Noni Madueke.

“We don’t know yet,” came the inevitable Arteta response. It was in contrast to his update on Declan Rice, Riccardo Calafiori and Christos Tzolis, who the manager confirmed all trained on Friday and look set to be available against Liverpool.

Madueke’s ankle issue, the one that ruled him out against Fleetwood, is not believed to be serious. There is an expectation that he should still make the trip to Merseyside.

However, if it remains a problem and doubts grow, Arteta might have to get creative.

Here are three options Arteta might be considering for Arsenal's right wing against Liverpool...

Arteta will be hoping that he has to go no further down his shortlist of options than this.

Madueke has looked sharp since the last international break and has had bright moments on both the left and right wings.

He was threatening against Everton and it was his cross that got Arsenal back into the game against Leeds earlier in the month.

In the absence of Saka and Dowman, Madueke is the only natural option on the right wing and Arteta will be desperate to have him available.

Madueke has been managing an ankle issue, though, and Arteta suggested that the Gunners will only make a late decision on his involvement at Liverpool after one final training session.

"We don’t know yet,” Arteta said on Friday. “We have a training session tomorrow.

“[Let’s] see if he can complete that full session tomorrow, and after that we'll know whether he's available or not."

Injury concern: Arsenal winger Noni Madueke has been struggling with an ankle issue

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Now the experimentation begins. For starters, it would be a big call to start Tzolis in any position at Anfield.

He has not played a single minute of football since suffering a hamstring injury while playing for Greece on October 1.

The winger is back in training and took part in the full session on Friday, but it would still be a risk to throw him straight back into the starting lineup.

There is also the added factor that right wing is far from Tzolis' natural position.

All of his appearances for Arsenal so far have come on the left and that is the position he was signed for in the summer, as Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli departed the club.

However, Tzolis has played on the right before. He started on that flank and scored in a Champions League match for Club Brugge against Atletico Madrid last season.

Across his career, Tzolis has made 26 appearances as a right winger. There is enough there to suggest that he can fill in if required.

If Madueke is ruled out, the decision over whether to start Tzolis is likely to be a fitness one rather than tactical.

Back in business: Christos Tzolis has returned to Arsenal training after a hamstring injury

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Break glass in case of emergency. In a situation where Tzolis is not fit to start and all three of Arsenal's right wingers are unavailable, what does Arteta do?

He has often proved incredibly reluctant to change formation and so instead it could be a case of Havertz being asked to do a job.

In possession, he could drift into central positions and effectively play as a second striker off Viktor Gyokeres.

When Liverpool have the ball, Havertz has the engine and mindset to work hard and play his part in the defensive shape.

It is far from ideal and on recent form, Havertz would be lucky to start for Arsenal anywhere on the pitch.

Desperate times, though, call for desperate measures and there are few players Arteta trusts more than Havertz.