Anfield Trip Looming Under Attack Shortage

Arsenal head into Sunday afternoon's clash at Anfield with their attacking options severely depleted. Following a humiliating Carabao Cup exit on penalties against League Two outfit Fleetwood Town on Wednesday, Mikel Arteta must navigate a brutal Premier League test with a razor-thin frontline.

Disciplinary setbacks have worsened the fitness strain across the squad. Winger Max Dowman is officially suspended for the trip to Liverpool after the Football Association rejected Arsenal's red card appeal, as detailed by Mirror Football.

The 16-year-old was dismissed for retaliation against Fleetwood Town's Harrison Neal during the shock fourth-round defeat. Dowman watched from the dressing room as the reigning Premier League champions crashed out on spot-kicks to fourth-tier opposition.

Arteta was incensed on the touchline and did not hide his fury. The Arsenal manager addressed the teenager's lack of emotional control post-match.

"When we prepared the context of the match, we were very clear on the things to respect, the things that emotionally we have to dominate. It was very clear."

During his pre-match press conference, Arteta acknowledged that Dowman's temper is becoming a troubling pattern. The youngster suffered an identical sending-off earlier this month while playing for England at youth level.

Arteta explained that opponents target Dowman due to his style of play and technical dribbling. The manager stressed that the club must protect the 16-year-old while holding him accountable to the team.

Crashing out to Fleetwood was an unacceptable embarrassment for the champions. Losing a promising attacking option to a petulant suspension leaves Arsenal exposed at the worst possible moment.

Tactical Toll, Pressing Demands, and the Misfiring Frontline

The Trossard Deficit and Pressing Load

The attacking shortage directly threatens how Arteta sets up his side off the ball. Arsenal's entire tactical philosophy relies on ferocious, coordinated defensive running from its front players.

Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke work relentlessly out wide to maintain Arsenal's defensive shape. When backup options disappear, the physical load placed on starting wingers escalates rapidly.

That physical strain was highlighted on The Rest Is Football podcast by former Manchester City defender Micah Richards. Richards warned that squad attrition has left Arsenal desperately needing reinforcements to maintain their standard.

"I think in January, because of the injuries, I definitely think they should go back into the market, and find top cover around."

Richards pointed directly to the absence of Leandro Trossard as a decisive factor in Arsenal's current forward struggles. Losing Trossard has stripped the attack of its most efficient two-way contributor.

Trossard provided rare clinical precision combined with exceptional defensive running off the ball. Without him available to rotate into the lineup, Arsenal's pressing sequences have looked visibly disjointed.

The drop-off from the regular starters to the fringe players proved fatal against Fleetwood. Unless Arsenal discover a reliable internal solution before January, the workload on Saka and Madueke will reach dangerous levels.

The Gyokeres Goal Drought

The attacking crisis is made far worse by the complete loss of form from center-forward Viktor Gyokeres. The 28-year-old Swedish international looks detached from Arsenal's rhythms, managing just one goal in 11 appearances this season.

Gyokeres cuts an isolated, frustrated figure leading the line. His confidence has evaporated, leading to hesitant decision-making inside the penalty area.

Richards urged Arteta to consider moving on from the forward when the January transfer window opens. When Gyokeres first arrived, Richards cautioned supporters not to expect 25 or 30 goals per season.

However, his current offensive output falls well below the minimum standard required for a title contender. Richards noted that Gyokeres has stopped making the dynamic runs in behind defenders that made him dangerous.

Reports circulated during the summer that Arsenal explored selling him, and his current performances justify those doubts. The striker still finds good positions during matches, but he hesitates to finish.

Richards stressed that Gyokeres needs a 90-minute performance where he scores to rebuild his confidence. If that breakthrough does not happen quickly, Arsenal will have to replace him.

A misfiring striker drags down the entire team. Against Liverpool's formidable backline on Sunday, carrying an out-of-form center-forward could prove fatal.

Transfer Solutions and the Strategic Outlook

Antonio Nusa on Arsenal's Radar

With injuries hitting the frontline and Gyokeres failing to produce, Arsenal are actively pursuing elite winter targets. Recruitment chiefs have identified RB Leipzig winger Antonio Nusa as a prime candidate to restore dynamism out wide.

According to reports from Tutto Mercato, Arsenal are demonstrating serious interest in the 21-year-old Norway international. Club officials are reportedly confident they can secure a deal for the attacker, who is valued at ยฃ58 million.

Arsenal face stiff competition across Europe for Nusa's signature. Serie A outfit Roma are also pursuing the winger after his explosive start to the campaign in Germany.

Nusa has already registered 10 goal contributions in 12 appearances for Leipzig this season. His direct dribbling and rapid transition pace make him an ideal fit for the physical intensity Arteta demands.

Manchester City forward Erling Haaland knows Nusa well from the Norwegian national team. Following Norway's 4-1 victory over Slovenia in 2024, in which Nusa bagged a brace, Haaland praised his compatriot in glowing terms.

Haaland described Nusa as something extraordinary, applauding his ability to deliver consistently at the highest level. Adding that kind of direct attacking punch would provide immediate relief for Arsenal's strained forward department.

High Stakes on Merseyside

Title-winning campaigns are defined by how squads manage autumn fitness bottlenecks. For Arsenal, the margin for error has vanished heading into November.

Crashing out of the Carabao Cup to League Two opposition was a massive shock for Arteta. The defeat proved that Arsenal's tactical system collapses when secondary attackers fail to track back and execute under pressure.

Arteta faces an immense strategic dilemma at Anfield on Sunday. He must field an attacking unit capable of hurting Liverpool while preserving the physical stamina of his regular starters.

The current attacking picture outlines the immense challenge facing the coaching staff:

  • Max Dowman remains suspended after the FA rejected Arsenal's appeal following his red card against Fleetwood Town.
  • Leandro Trossard's absence deprives the side of a proven clinical finisher who sets the standard for defensive work rate off the ball.
  • Viktor Gyokeres brings alarming goal-scoring form into the weekend, having managed just one goal across 11 matches this season.
  • Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke shoulder heavy physical workloads as the primary wide weapons tasked with pressing and chance creation.

Anfield is the most unforgiving ground in English football for a depleted squad. If Liverpool exploit Arsenal's attacking hesitance, the gap at the top of the table will widen rapidly.

Arteta cannot afford to wait until spring to address these fitness and form deficiencies. Sunday's test will reveal whether Arsenal can weather the storm or whether January investment is an absolute emergency.