Arsenal Team Update: Arteta announces significant triple injury boost, but one player faces a setback.
Arteta shares positive news on three injury recoveries.
Arteta confirms a crucial recovery for three players, although one has encountered an injury setback.
The Arsenal manager has shared the latest on the fitness of key players ahead of the Premier League match against Bournemouth this Saturday evening.
As the Gunners prepare for their trip to the Vitality Stadium, they are dealing with several injury issues. However, Arteta delivered encouraging news during his pre-match press conference earlier today.
There were concerns during the international break regarding Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, who reportedly experienced a setback in his recovery from an ankle injury sustained in September, potentially delaying his return until December.
Arteta dismissed these claims, affirming that Odegaard is expected to return before the November break. He indicated that the upcoming week will be critical in assessing the player’s readiness to return to the pitch.
Additionally, there is positive news regarding Bukayo Saka, who exited England’s recent match against Greece with an injury.
Arteta reassured that it is not serious, and there is optimism that the winger will be fit to play against Bournemouth.
The manager also confirmed that Thomas Partey has recovered from illness and is available, while Kai Havertz is likely to be in contention for the match, provided he completes training today without any issues after sustaining a knock while on international duty with Germany.
Gabriel Martinelli’s availability will be evaluated following a calf issue he encountered while with Brazil.
Arteta will also assess the fitness of Ben White, Jurrien Timber, and Oleksandr Zinchenko, expressing hope that “some players” will be ready for selection tomorrow.
There was some unfortunate news from today’s press conference, as Arteta announced that Takehiro Tomiyasu has encountered a setback due to a new injury.
While the injury does not appear to be severe, the defender will be sidelined for an extended period.
Arteta addressed the media regarding several players:
On Odegaard: “He will not be available for this match [against Bournemouth]. However, next week should present a different situation.
He needs to meet certain benchmarks. Next week will be critical in determining his proximity to returning.” [source: James Olley]
Arteta also indicated that he anticipates Odegaard’s return before the international break in November. [source: Kaya Kaynak]
On Saka: “The injury is not serious. He is progressing well and has been active over the past two days. We remain optimistic. We will see if he can recover in time.” [source: Sam Dean]
On Havertz: “He has been dealing with a few issues, but if he trains effectively, he stands a good chance of being fit and available.” [source: Connor Humm]
On Martinelli: “He did some outdoor work yesterday, and today will involve another step. We will assess whether we can take the risk.”
On Partey: “Yes, Thomas is fit.”
On White, Timber, and Zinchenko: “All three are quite close to returning. Today, we will push to see if we can receive some positive updates and have players back for tomorrow.” [source: Charles Watts]
On Tomiyasu: “It doesn’t seem like it will be a lengthy absence, hopefully. We really need him, but he has encountered another issue.” [source: Connor Humm]
Arsenal heads to the Vitality Stadium just one point behind league leaders Liverpool, aiming to keep the pressure on with a victory over Bournemouth in Saturday’s evening match.