Arsenal news: Growing injury concerns for Liverpool and Gunners ahead of Premier League opener

Questions have been raised whether or not the two sides will be able to field their strongest teams on Sunday 14 August

Loris Karius has joined a long list of Liverpool casualties (Getty)

Injury concerns are mounting for Arsenal and Liverpool ahead of their opening clash at the start of the season.

Both are currently suffering from a number of injuries or absences which have raised questions over whether the two sides will be able to field their strongest teams on Sunday 14 August.

For the Reds, Loris Karius has become the latest casualty after Jurgen Klopp revealed that the German has been ruled out for 10 weeks with a broken hand.

The 22-year-old had largely been expected to start ahead of Simon Mignolet against Arsenal but is now unlikely to make his Premier League debut until October.

He joins a number of Liverpool players whose fitness looks to be in doubt. Defender Joel Matip has missed two of his side’s pre-season friendlies with an ankle injury, prompting concerns he may not be fully match fit by August 14, while Joe Gomez was definitively ruled out for the start of the season after sustaining an Achilles problem earlier on in July.

Mamadou Sakho is similarly recovering from a heel injury and both Marko Grujic and Ragnar Klavan picked up knocks against Chelsea last Wednesday.

Although Klavan has been cleared to start for Liverpool against AC Milan on Saturday night, Grujic’s head injury is expected to keep him out of the Reds’ remaining pre-season friendlies.

The club has learnt his injury is not as serious as first thought – the defender was taken to a hospital in Pasadena after colliding with Bertrand Traore - but it remains unclear whether the Serbian will be fit for the Arsenal fixture.

As for the Gunners, the north London side face similar concerns. Both Per Mertesacker and Danny Welbeck have been ruled out on a long-term basis while Alexis Sanchez’s absence from Arsenal’s US tour has worried fans that the Chilean won’t be available for August 14.

Added to this, Arsenal’s Euro 2016 stars have yet to have returned to training as they enjoy their extended break following the conclusion of the tournament on July 10.

Laurent Koscielny, Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil have all been missing from the club’s pre-season preparations and concerns have emerged over whether the trio will be fully fit in time for the Liverpool fixture.

Arsene Wenger and Jurgen Klopp will be looking to hit the ground running as the two sides clash at the Emirates Stadium on August 14 but it remains unclear as to how both teams will line-up in light of their current injuries and absences.