Gabriel is suspended for our 3rd round visit to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup. You might remember he was wrongly sent off against Man City last weekend, where we were cheated out of a point/all three points by one of the most disgusting, one-sided, cheating refereeing performances of all time.
We will also be without Aubameyang, Elneny, Partey and Pepe who are all missing through their involvement in the African Cup of Nations, Aubameyang also has COVID.
It’s widely thought that Arteta will rotate the squad ahead of next week’s League Cup semi-final, assuming Jürgen Klopp allows that game to go ahead.
Arteta said in Friday’s Press Conference:
“We are really short with numbers, really, really short,” Arteta admitted. We have some issues, but we will know more on Saturday. We want to play and that is how we are approaching every game. We want to do everything to play the game and don’t expect anything different than to play on Sunday. I had a few rough days (with COVID) but I feel in top form and I was so happy to leave my house after being there for seven or eight days, so I’m really good…”
We then visit the 1961 league champions Tottenham in the league next Sunday, where the hosts will be without their best player Son, who is out injured.
Today’s game with Forest kicks off at 5.10pm and is live on ITV in the UK from The City Ground and the draw for the 4th round will take place before our game. You may remember last time we played Forest in the FA Cup, we lost 4-2 in a rare FA Cup defeat for Arsene Wenger.
