Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is sweating over the fitness of Oleksandr Zinchenko for Sunday's FA Cup third-round tie with Liverpool at the Emirates.
The Ukrainian left-back was unavailable for the 2-1 loss to Fulham on December 31 due to a calf concern and was quickly sent for scans, although he is making progress in his recuperation and has not been ruled out of the visit of the Reds.
Three injury victims who are guaranteed to sit out Sunday's game are Jurrien Timber (ACL), Fabio Vieira (groin) and Thomas Partey (thigh), the latter of whom was omitted from the Ghana squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.
However, Egypt's Mohamed Elneny will be representing his nation at the AFCON this month, while Japanese right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu - who has just made a full recovery from his own calf issue - has been summoned for Asian Cup duty.
With Tomiyasu unavailable and Zinchenko a doubt, Arteta may be forced into deploying Jakub Kiwior as a makeshift left-back again, as was the case at Craven Cottage before the Pole was brought off for Tomiyasu.
William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Ben White are poised to complete an unchanged back four, although David Raya may hand the goalkeeping gloves back over to cup shot-stopper Aaron Ramsdale for the weekend's tie.
Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard should be in no danger of losing their spots in midfield too, and the same can be said for Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli in the final third despite their downturn in fortunes.
Eddie Nketiah was chosen to lead the line against Fulham, but after another ineffective display, Gabriel Jesus - who has 10 goals and six assists to show from 20 FA Cup outings - should spearhead the charge this time around.
Arsenal possible starting lineup: Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Odegaard, Rice, Havertz; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli
> Click here to see how Liverpool could line up for this match
Ben Knapton
