With the new season just hours away we got the chance to hear from Arsene Wenger about actual football which made a nice change.

It’s Liverpool on Sunday and we know that we will be facing them without Per Mertesacker, Gabriel, Laurent Koscielny, Jack Wilshere, Mesut Ozil, Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck.

Mertesacker will be out for around four months with his knee injury but Wenger confirmed Gabriel did not need surgery and would be back in 6-8 weeks. There is no time-frame for Jack but he is said to be back in training. Jenks is also out and not expected back until November. Welbeck should be back in ‘four to five months’

Wenger also gave a brief update on Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil’s contract situations. With two years to go, there’s nothing to worry about.

In gossip, the Mauro Icardi rumours just won’t quit, despite Napoli making another offer and nobody outside England thinking Arsenal are interested at all. Riyad Marhrez, if you believe the press, both wants to join Arsenal and stay at Leicester.

But we could be moving closer to an actual signing with Shkodran Mustafi’s father and agent said they are in discussions with Arsenal.

It was a relatively quiet Friday, but we’ll be here all weekend with match coverage, so be sure to check back.