Arsenal handed triple injury boost ahead of Liverpool clash

Arsenal head into Sunday's blockbuster Premier League clash at Anfield handed a triple injury boost with Declan Rice, Riccardo Calafiori and Christos Tzolis all returning to training, though they must respond immediately to a historic domestic humiliation.

The reigning top-flight champions arrive on Merseyside carrying the weight of an extraordinary 5-3 penalty shootout defeat to League Two minnows Fleetwood Town after a 1-1 draw in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.

The Long Shadow of Anfield and a Historic Cup Shock

Aaron Loupalo-Bi gave Fleetwood the lead before half-time in midweek, and while Viktor Gyokeres equalised after the break, goalkeeper Jay Lynch made several saves as the fourth-tier hosts held on before prevailing from the spot. That result made Arsenal the first reigning Premier League champions to lose a League Cup tie against a fourth-tier side. It compounded a wretched historical record for the club, who have not won an away league match against Liverpool since September 2012.

Arteta's side are second in the table on 21 points, level with leaders Manchester City who possess a superior goal difference, having conceded just five goals in eight league matches and beaten Everton 2-0 last weekend. Liverpool sit fourth on 15 points, six behind the Gunners, making Sunday's fixture a vital test of domestic supremacy.

The midweek setback also featured disciplinary fallout as youngster Max Dowman was sent off. An independent regulatory commission rejected Arsenal's appeal against the red card, forcing Dowman to serve a three-match suspension that rules him out of the Anfield trip as well as upcoming games against Hull City and Newcastle United.

Recovery on the Training Pitch

Manager Mikel Arteta addressed the media at the Sobha Realty Training Centre on Friday to clarify the physical status of his squad following the midweek disappointment. Rice felt discomfort in his hamstring against Everton, Madueke has been managing a minor ankle issue, and Calafiori came on for the closing stages of the Everton match before standing up front and going straight down the tunnel at full time. Tzolis has not played since returning early from international duty last month with a hamstring injury following a 3-0 loss at Brighton.

Arteta confirmed that Rice, Calafiori and Tzolis all participated in Friday's session and stand on the brink of returning.

They all trained today, they will train tomorrow and if all is okay, they will be available.

Mikel Arteta, via Liverpool.com

The situation remains slightly less certain for Madueke, though Arteta refused to rule the England international out of the fixture entirely.

We don't know yet. We have a training session tomorrow, let's see if he can complete the full session. After that, we will know if he's available.

Mikel Arteta, via sports.yahoo.com

Asked specifically if he was ruling Madueke out against Liverpool, Arteta replied simply, Noni? No. Meanwhile, Bukayo Saka is expected to miss at least six weeks after suffering a quad injury against Bayern Munich, and William Saliba has yet to feature this season due to a long-term back problem.

For supporters preparing for Sunday's encounter or tracking squad availability, Arteta indicated that final decisions for Rice, Calafiori, Tzolis and Madueke hinge entirely on Saturday's concluding training session.

Arteta's ability to salvage an away league win at Anfield will depend heavily on whether his returning core can smoothly transition from the treatment room back into the heat of a hostile Merseyside atmosphere.