Arsenal have received a major boost ahead of their Carabao Cup showdown with Liverpool on Thursday after learning the Reds will certainly be without Sadio Mane.
The Gunners host Jurgen Klopp’s men at the Emirates Stadium in the week for their Carabao Cup semi-final second-leg, following the 0-0 stalemate at Anfield last week.
Mikel Arteta has plenty of selection issues to consider ahead of the game, with a number of his players having been hit with injuries – the latest to be struck down being Portuguese right-back Cedric Soares.
Despite that, the Gunners will not face Liverpool forward Sadio Mane after his nation Senegal booked their progression to the next round of the Africa Cup of Nations.
They managed to finish top of Group B but it came in somewhat fortunate circumstances as they could only draw 0-0 with Malawi, Guinea unable to take advantage of that result having fallen to a 2-1 defeat to Zimbabwe.
Mane’s Senegal now face a round of 16 tie against either a 3rd-placed team from Group A or Group D, a match that is not set to take place until Tuesday, January 25, meaning that the forward will not be back in action for Liverpool until after that date.
Whilst the 29-year-old is currently not enjoying his best season at Anfield with ten goals in 26 matches in all competitions, he would still have been a major threat against Arsenal having had a hand in 13 goals in 17 career appearances versus the Gunners; eight goals and five assists.
Ahead of the clash at the Emirates Stadium, Jurgen Klopp admitted that he was hoping all of the current Liverpool players taking part in the tournament – including Mane and Mo Salah – would lift the trophy, even if that means them being away from Merseyside for an extended period.
Talking after the Reds’ 3-0 win against Brentford at the weekend, he said: “We find ways to break the opponents down. We wish the boys in Africa the best of luck.
“We were celebrating when Mo scored last night and Sadio the other day. We wish all of them to win the tournament which unfortunately is impossible.”
Arsenal have already experienced a considerable selection boost of their own relating to the Africa Cup of Nations, with midfielder Thomas Partey set to return after Ghana were eliminated.
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