'Doesn't look good' - Arsenal suffer new double injury concern amid Liverpool title race

Mikel Arteta has admitted that Arsenal face a nervous wait over two key players after losing more ground on Liverpool in the Premier League title race.

The Gunners find themselves nine points adrift of the Reds after just 11 games this season. Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, with Gabriel Martinelli’s opening goal for the visitors being cancelled out by Pedro Neto’s strike.

Arsenal saw Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka both forced off in the second half. Both have subsequently pulled out of England duty and Arteta has confessed he’s unsure on the extent of their respective issues. The Emirates Stadium boss said: “It doesn’t look good, because for two players of that importance to tell you they cannot continue in the game, obviously it’s not good news. “Two players that just came off, I don’t know whether to expect them to be fit because if not they don’t come off.”

Arsenal have finished runners-up to Manchester City in the previous two seasons. But they’re trailing in the title race and are fourth on 19 points along with Nottingham Forest and Brighton.

Arteta knows his side are in a difficult moment - and he has demanded that they show a response. He added: “When it gets nasty, show your teeth and show how much you want it. When it’s Disneyland it’s very easy. ­Everybody’s next to you, telling you how beautiful you are. When it gets dark and difficult and everybody’s questioning it, that’s when I want to see people. I’m looking around. Who is going to step in that box? Yes or no?”