Arne Slot one problem away from Liverpool nightmare as Arsenal get Premier League title boost

Liverpool have suffered their first big injury blow of the season with Premier League title rivals Arsenal thus far enduring a contrasting fitness situation.

Mikel Arteta has already lost Ben White, William Saliba, Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and now Noni Madueke to injury. The latter is set to miss two months with a knee injury picked up in the 1-1 draw against Manchester City this past weekend.

Piero Hincapie was absent from Arteta's squad for that clash with the Gunners boss explaining that decision in a press conference.

"He picked a little groin injury, Arteta revealed. "We have to again assess him in the next few days how he goes. There's been a change of load and he didn't really have a pre-season after the injury. We'll have to see in the next week or so how he is."

The Ecuador international would have likely started Arsenal's Carabao Cup third round clash against Port Vale, but this injury has seen Myles Lewis-Skelly deployed at left-back.

As for Liverpool, they beat Southampton on Tuesday evening with Hugo Ekitike grabbing the winner while Alexander Isak also scored his first goal since joining from Newcastle United.

Though Isak was replaced by the former at half-time, he was on the pitch for longer than the Frenchman as he was shown a second yellow card after taking his shirt off when celebrating the winner.

Fellow summer signing Giovanni Leoni also left the clash perhaps earlier than expected but for a very different reason.

With nine minutes to play, he went over awkwardly in a challenge on his debut and also landed quite hardly on the back of his head. Concerns over a concussion seemed to be the first priority but it has since been revealed that he suffered a torn ACL.

The teenager defender is expected to a significant period and as such, Slot looks set to be left with limited options in the centre of defence.

Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk are his first-choice pairing with Joe Gomez, who played alongside Leoni on Tuesday evening, as the understudy. Selling Jarrel Quansah and not signing Marc Guehi means Liverpool do not have many senior options in that position.

Ryan Gravenberch, Andy Robertson and Waturu Endo are among those capable of covering but none of the trio are natural centre-backs. If one of Konate or Van Dijk suffers an injury before January, Liverpool's title defence could be in jeopardy.

Having already conceded 10 goals from their first eight competitive games, issues at the back have already been clear to see. Arsenal meanwhile, have let in just two goals this season with four clean sheets kept, albeit from two less games.

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