Thomas Partey is continuing his recovery from a thigh issue
Arsenal's final game before Christmas Day presents Mikel Arteta's men with a six-pointer against Premier League title rivals Liverpool at Anfield.
The Gunners are currently one point clear of Jurgen Klopp's side and will be full of confidence that they can be top at Christmas for the second consecutive year. Last week's 2-0 win over Brighton in north London saw Mikel Arteta's men return to the top of the tree.
Saturday's nail-biter on Merseyside is set to play a big role in the race for the title, with many backing the Gunners to go the distance if they win. However, Arsenal faces a couple of injury headaches.
Italian midfielder Jorginho was absent from the win against the Seagulls with a foot injury. However, he told football.london he was getting "better" and there is hope he will be OK for this weekend.
Mohamed Elneny is another doubt for the trip to Anfield after suffering another setback against PSV Eindhoven. It's suspected that the Egyptian international suffered a suspect hamstring issue, although it appears he could be OK for the upcoming African Cup of Nations.
The midfield duo join the list of absentees already out at London Colney. Thomas Partey, who was named in Ghana's provisional squad for AFCON, is continuing his comeback in north London after sustaining a thigh problem.
"We don’t know [if Partey will be back to face Liverpool in January]," Arteta said. "He’s getting a very good evolution in the injury, but it’s a bit early for the time frame.
That would be incredibly fast if he’s able to do that. We’re going to have to wait. We are quite short, with five key, key players not being available for us now for a period of time, but we have to continue."
Versatile defender Takehiro Tomiyasu (calf) and Fabio Vieira (groin) are also out until the New Year. Jurrien Timber's recovery from his ACL injury is progressing well and was recently pictured on Arsenal's club trip to Rwanda.
"He’s doing really well," Arteta confirmed. "He’s going through a really significant injury but he’s flying at the stage that he is right now. The way that he works every day is very satisfying to watch.
"We’re still going to miss him for a long time. The first few steps are crucial for the amount of work they have to do in the knee to get the mobility and the strength back."
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