Arsenal captain Odegaard close to return but Saka a doubt for Liverpool game

LONDON (AP) — Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is nearing a return from an ankle ligament injury, Norway coach Stale Solbakken said.

The midfielder has been out since sustaining what was described as significant damage while playing for his country in September.

“Everything indicates that (the injury) is going according to plan, then it is about the last steps when you are going to train with opponents and at team training,” Solbakken told Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang. “It depends on how he responds to it, but we have a justified hope that he is ready.”

Arsenal plays Premier League leader Liverpool on Sunday and manager Mikel Arteta did not say if Odegaard would be in contention for that game.

Speaking a news conference Friday, Arteta said Bukayo Saka, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber were all doubts for Liverpool.

“We’re going to do our very best to somehow have them available but it’s very uncertain,” he said.

Saka has a hamstring injury and Calafiori twisted his knee in the Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk this week.

Timber hasn’t played since the start of the month because of an unspecified issue.

Center back William Saliba will miss the Liverpool game because he is suspended after a red card in the loss to Bournemouth on Saturday.

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