Norway head coach Stale Solbakken has provided a positive injury update on Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard.
The Gunners captain has missed his team's last nine matches across all competitions since suffering a "significant" ankle ligament injury while representing Norway during September's international break.
Odegaard was pictured running for the first time on an anti-gravity treadmill during an individual training session a fortnight ago and head coach Mikel Arteta has since confirmed that the playmaker is in the "later stages of his rehab".
Speaking to reporters last Friday, prior to Arsenal's 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth, Arteta said: "He is not going to be fit for this game. Next week will be a different story.
"In the later stages of his rehab, he needs to clear some markers, do some different things, especially with the ball. Next week is crucial to see how close he is."
Arteta's quotes had given Arsenal supporters hope that Odegaard could be in a position to return to the matchday squad for Sunday's top-of-the-table Premier League showdown with leaders Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.
Odegaard to make comeback in mid-November?
The 25-year-old is, however, expected to miss that blockbuster fixture, but a return to action before next month's international break cannot be ruled out.
Indeed, Norway boss Solbakken has delivered an encouraging update on Odegaard's progress and he is on track to recover in time to represent his country against Slovenia and Kazakhstan in the UEFA Nations League in the middle of November.
Speaking to Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang, Solbakken said: "Everything indicates that (Odegaard's 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. It depends on how he responds to it, but we have a justified hope that he is ready.
"I've spoken to him quite regularly. Now that it's starting to progress, it's easier, but it's not fun to be injured. At the same time, he has been very little injured, so it is probably a training matter for him."
Should Odegaard make his comeback in mid-November, the playmaker could then target a return to action in an Arsenal shirt for a Premier League encounter with Nottingham Forest on November 23 after the international break.
Who else is injured at Arsenal ahead of Liverpool clash?
There have recently been conflicting reports about the condition of star winger Bukayo Saka, with some suggesting he could return in time to face Liverpool and other claiming that Sunday's game will come too soon for the 23-year-old.
Saka has missed Arsenal's last two games, including Tuesday's 1-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League, since sustaining a thigh injury on international duty with England.
Meanwhile, the Gunners are also sweating over the fitness of Riccardo Calafiori who was taken off in the second half against Shakhtar with an apparent knee problem, and Arteta admitted after the match that "it's not great news".
Kieran Tierney (hamstring) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) are also in the treatment room, while William Saliba is suspended following his red card against Bournemouth, but on a more positive note, Jurrien Timber could be ready to return from a muscle injury this weekend.
Arsenal currently sit third in the Premier League table, four points behind leaders Liverpool, although they could be further adrift of the summit before Sunday's contest if second-placed Manchester City climb to the top with a win over Southampton on Saturday. body check tags ::
