Arsenal’s preparations for their next Premier League fixture are clouded by injury concerns surrounding key players Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard. The club will play a huge match in the context of the current season against Manchester City next. Manager Mikel Arteta hasn’t completely closed the door to the possibility of their return.
Saka has missed the last two matches due to an unknown injury. Soon, Arsenal will need to figure out how to get through tricky matches without one of their best players. At the same time, Odegaard has been wrestling with a chronic shoulder injury. He did not feature in Arsenal’s 2-0 win against Athletic Club in midweek. Most recently he’s run into difficulty in league matches, being subbed before half-time in his past three outings.
Arteta’s decision-making is further complicated by the impressive performance of Cristhian Mosquera, who has stepped up in the absence of these key players. Mosquera, bought for £13 million, this time from Valencia, is really knocking on the door. He’s currently looking like one of the best-value signings made during the entire summer transfer window.
Ben White has started only one game this season, Arsenal’s opener at Old Trafford. He could indeed be featured in the next installment. His return should strengthen Arsenal’s defensive back line even more. Yet despite earning such praise, William Saliba sat on the bench as an unused substitute in Bilbao. He’s still a very strong option for Arteta, as he searches through his options.
“If there is a chance [they will play], it will be after tomorrow’s session, because we haven’t done anything yet, so we’ll have more information tomorrow.” – Mikel Arteta
Even with the injury misfortunes, Arteta is nonchalant looking at the positivity in the squad that has returned. He assured supporters that both Viktor Gyokeres and Mikel Merino, who were forced off with head injuries midweek, are hereafter okay. They need to be willing to act going forward.
“Everything has been modified so far for him, and there are still a few things to clear up. Tomorrow, we’ll have more information on whether they are part of the squad or not.” – Mikel Arteta
The team is looking forward to this first important encounter. Whatever the answer, Saka and Odegaard are healthy again, and their return could be crucial to Arsenal’s hopes of points against a difficult foe. We’ll be watching to see how their conditions progress after tomorrow’s training session.
Sky Sports coverage will be reduced to 215 live Premier League games per season from the 2025-26 campaign. Supporters will have the opportunity to see Arsenal as they navigate through this difficult period.
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