Once again, news that Mikel Arteta tests positive for Covid means the Spaniard will miss New Years Day Premier League clash against Manchester City It is the second time since the pandemic began that Arteta has tested positive having been the first Premier League manager to do so in March 2020. The news was confirmed on Wednesday, December 29 via the club’s official Twitter account.
Mikel Arteta Tests Positive for Covid for a Second Time
Spaniard Will Miss Manchester City Clash
Arsenal assistants Steve Round and Albert Stuivenberg will take charge of the game at the Emirates Stadium following Arteta’s positive test. Other managers who have missed games recently have been Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard and Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira.
Arteta missing the match will be a blow following a dramatic upturn in form that has seen the North London side move into fourth place with four wins on the spin leaving them 12 points behind their New Years Day opponents and league leaders Manchester City.
Club Statement
In a brief statement, Arsenal said that; “Mikel is isolating in line with Government guidelines and we wish him well.”
Arteta will now face a period of isolation lasting one week. Recent changes to isolation guidelines mean that people who receive a negative lateral flow test on days six and seven of their self-isolation period no longer have to stay inside for ten days as long as the tests are taken 24 hours apart.
Return
Assuming that Arteta recovers quickly he could be back in the dugout for the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg tie against Liverpool on January 6.
His positive test has come at a time when the Omicron variant is virulent across the UK with the most recent round of testing seeing 103 confirmed cases – the highest since testing began being recorded in May 2020.
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