Ahead of their Premier League clash at Craven Cottage against Fulham, Mikel Arteta delivered his pre-match press conference and provided updates on the availability of key players. The Gunners will be aiming to make it five wins on the bounce in all competitions, as Arteta’s team looks to maintain their position at the top of the table. Here are the latest Arsenal injuries and availability updates.
Arsenal Injuries – Every Update Ahead of Fulham Clash
Ruled Out
Arteta provided a key update on influential midfielder Martin Odegaard:
“It will be weeks. There’s no definite date for his return, but he’s evolving well. It’s very unlucky, what’s happening with him and his injuries this season, but I think he will be back in a few weeks.”
Discussing when Odegaard may return: “It could be [after the next international break], but we’ll have to see how he progresses, how the knee’s healing, how he manages after the next steps in his rehab, so it’s too early to give an answer,” said Arteta.
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Arsenal fans would have been concerned after reports that Spanish midfielder Martin Zubimendi didn’t train on Thursday, but Arteta clarified the Spaniard’s availability:
“All the players come from different countries, with different amounts of games and minutes played and we believe that it was the right thing to do. He played two games again. His load has been really high recently and he needed an extra day. He will be available.”
The Gunners boss also provided updates on long-term absentees, Noni Madueke and Kai Havertz:
“He’s getting closer as well. He’s going to start very soon to do some running and stuff and then again, let’s see how that reacts,” said Arteta regarding Madueke.
It appears the return of Kai Havertz is still some way off, with Arteta cautious not to rush the German back.
Doubts
With Arteta discussing Zubimendi’s high workload, it’s feasible that the Spanish international could start on the bench.
The Gunners boss was also asked about the availability of Ben White: “Yes, very similar. We are monitoring all the players and giving a specific menu to each of them to make sure that they are in the best condition.”
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Despite the Gunners missing key players through injury, there don’t appear to be any unexpected doubts ahead of their game against Fulham.
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