Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has followed in the footsteps of his mentor, Pep Guardiola, in that he tells the media as little as possible when it comes to injury information. However, the Spaniard did admit that he has three fresh injury concerns ahead of the visit from Leicester City on Saturday: David Raya (thigh muscle), Ben White (knee) and Jurrien Timber (unknown). All three are in the doubt status for this weekend.
David Raya has been sidelined with a “muscular injury” and the club “don’t know” the extent of the issue. Those four words are all that Arteta had to say about him.
Leicester City at Arsenal FC FYIs
Kick-off: Saturday, Sept 28, 3pm local, Emirates Stadium
Arsenal Preview Material: Starting XI Prediction Team News
Google Result Probability: Arsenal victory 82% Draw 120% Leicester City victory 6%
Team News for Both Sides
There were reports, earlier in the week, that David Raya was expected to be okay for this match. Regarding Ben White, the Gunners boss said: “We didn’t want to [play him] but we had to at some point. I spoke to him yesterday that I wanted to protect him. He won’t ever tell you that he’s not fit. He will run through a brick wall for you.”
Elsewhere Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney all remain out as long-term injury absentees.
In terms of the Leicester City Team News, the Foxes will be without the services of Jakub Stolarczyk and Patson Daka (both due to ankle injuries).
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.