Arsenal are sweating over the fitness of Takehiro Tomiyasu and Emile Smith Rowe for Thursday's EFL Cup semi-final first leg with Liverpool at Anfield.

The duo missed the FA Cup defeat to Nottingham Forest due to muscular injuries, and Mikel Arteta refused to confirm whether either man would be available for the trip to Merseyside.

Granit Xhaka remains a doubt due to COVID-19 infection, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Thomas Partey, Mohamed Elneny and Nicolas Pepe are competing at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Bernd Leno was handed an expected start in the FA Cup and could feel hopeful of keeping possession of the gloves for the first leg, but Arteta will likely reinstate Aaron Ramsdale here.

Gabriel Magalhaes is back from suspension and ready to line up alongside Ben White once again, while Kieran Tierney will certainly displace Nuno Tavares after the Portuguese was hooked in the first half on Sunday.

With Arteta very thin on the ground in the middle, Albert Sambi Lokonga and 18-year-old Charlie Patino could form the base of the engine room once again.

Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli are unlikely to lose their places in the final third, but Eddie Nketiah's poor showing at the weekend should see Alexandre Lacazette return up top.

Arsenal possible starting lineup: Ramsdale; Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tierney; Lokonga, Patino; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Lacazette

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