As Matchday 3 of the Premier League shows, Arsenal will play Liverpool in arguably the best game of the weekend. While the Reds are coming guns blazing, the Gunners are missing two of their best offensive players in Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, which might put them in the underdogs department.
Martin Odegaard is not in the starting lineup but he is on the bench. The Norwegian attacking midfielder suffered a shoulder injury last week against Leeds United, but might be able to play if Mikel Arteta decides to put him in.
Odegaard is usually the one who commands the tempo on offense as his ability to create chances is something special. The left-footed player also brings dinamic in the center of the field opening spaces for other players to do their harm.
Why is Bukayo Saka not playing?
As for Saka, he is not even on the bench for this game. The academy product has a hamstring injury, also suffered against Leeds. Saka has dealt with plenty of injuries during the last couple of seasons, which is alarming, as he is a very young player and is already racking up injuries.
Bukayo Saka of Arsenal during a UEFA Champions League game.
Saka, when healthy, might be the team’s best player coming down the right wing. Also left footed, he cuts inside to either shoot or create space for an overlaping fullback. In the end, without him, they lose a stellar dribbler and a top-tier creator.
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Who are replacing both Odegaard and Saka?
Usually playing a 4-2-3-1 formation, manager Mikel Arteta had to call an audible and change schemes. Arsenal will present a 4-3-3 as they lost their ‘number 10’ in Odegaard. Hence, Zubimendi and Declan Rice will still be on the lineup, but Mikel Merino will take a spot in the starting XI as an additional central midfielder.
As for Saka’s replacement, new signing Noni Madueke will take the right wing spot. Madueke is more of a natural replacement for Saka, as he shares plenty of skills with Saka. They are both speedy, left-footed players. While Saka is a much more skillful player in terms of ball control and technique, Madueke’s speed and one-on-one ability could prove fruitful for the Gunners.
