ARSENAL’S young England heroes will be leading the charge to lift their Anfield curse on Saturday.
Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka were both on the scoresheet as the Three Lions demolished San Marino 10-0 in the recent World Cup qualifier.
They are both set to start as the Gunners hunt a first Premier League win at Anfield in nine years.
Boss Mikel Arteta was full of praise for the youngsters after their star turns for the national side – Smith Rowe in particular shining on his first senior call-up.
But he will be sweating on the fitness of skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and midfield engine Thomas Partey following the international break.
Aubameyang returned home early from Gabon duty, although he is understood to have been back in training on Thursday.
Partey was unable to play any part for Ghana and is being assessed by Arsenal medics before Saturday’s evening kick-off.
If both are passed fit to play then Arteta is likely to keep a similar line-up to the one that defeated Watford last time out.
The only decision he will have to make is who to play at left-back, with Scotland’s Kieran Tierney potentially coming back in.
But the puzzle pieces will have to be shifted should Aubameyang and Partey fail to pass their fitness tests.
That could spell a return to the starting XI of Denmark’s Martin Odegaard, who would slot in behind Alexandre Lacazette up front.
And Ainsley Maitland-Niles would benefit with another chance to show what he can do in the middle of the park after recently impressing in midfield.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
