Arsenal go to Anfield with little room for self-inflicted problems. The defeat to Fleetwood in the Carabao Cup was bad enough on its own, but the bigger issue for Mikel Arteta is what it may have done to his squad depth before a major league test against Liverpool.

The immediate concern is Max Dowman. He was sent off against Fleetwood, leaving Arsenal short in the wide areas at exactly the wrong moment. The club plan to appeal the straight red and hope the three-match ban is overturned in time for Sunday, but that now sits with the FA. Until there is a verdict, it remains an avoidable distraction.

Declan Rice and Noni Madueke in frame

There is better news elsewhere. Noni Madueke missed the Fleetwood game because of an ankle issue, but the expectation is that the injury is not serious. Arsenal are optimistic he will be available to start on the right at Anfield, which matters given the current lack of options.

Declan Rice is in a similar category. He was left out entirely in midweek after feeling hamstring tightness in the second half of the win over Everton. Arsenal have handled him carefully all season and already pulled him from England duty during the last international break to manage his workload. That caution has not changed, but a full week without a midweek fixture gives him a proper chance of being ready for Liverpool.

Christos Tzolis nearing return

Christos Tzolis is also moving closer. He has been sidelined for nearly a month after suffering a hamstring injury on Greece duty, but his recovery has gone well. Fleetwood came too early for him, though there is a realistic possibility he makes the squad this weekend if first-team training goes smoothly over the next few days.

William Saliba recovery offers Arsenal lift

The longer-term update concerns William Saliba, and this is arguably the most significant one. He has not featured at all this season after Arsenal decided in the summer that a long-term back problem required a proper lay-off rather than a patch-up job. That was the sensible call.

Saliba has spent the last three weeks back on the grass doing individual work and is edging towards a return to full training. If that next step passes without any setback, he could be back in an Arsenal matchday squad before the international break.

So this is where Arsenal stand. Rice and Madueke are expected to have a chance, Tzolis is close, Dowman waits on an appeal, and Saliba is finally moving in the right direction. Ahead of Anfield, that counts as progress.