Arsenal got some great news, injury/fitness wise, in the London derby score draw on Sunday. Both Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Odegaard returned to action in the 1-1 stalemate with Chelsea this past weekend. On the flip side, French central defender William Saliba missed out on Sunday, due to muscular discomfort in the final training session ahead of the short trip to Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta gave the following update on Saliba, from west London on Sunday:
Brentford FC at Arsenal FC FYIs
Kick: Wed. Dec 3, 7:30 pm local, Emirates Stadium, London, UK
Google Result Probability: Brentford FC win 10% Arsenal win 73% Draw 17%
Premier League Form Guide, Standings: Brentford FC WLWLW 10th, 19 pts Arsenal WWDWD 1st, 30 pts
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“I think [he] has another test tomorrow to see the extent of that feeling, that sensation that he had, then we’ll know more.”
Saliba is a doubt for the next London derby, which will of course be another short road trip, this time to Brentford FC. Also a doubt for the clash at the GTech on Wednesday night is Leandro Trossard, who has an unspecified knock. Arteta said the following yesterday: “With Leo, I don’t think it’s something big.”
Meanwhile Gabriel Magalhães remains out with that adductor injury that he suffered while on international duty with Brazil. And then finally, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are moving closer towards a return from their knee injuries, but it won’t happen in midweek.
Also, we have to include this Arteta quote from yesterday’s presser, as it’s a great summation of the situation:
“We will see if we can recover somebody for that game. We had some good news, like Viktor today coming on, Martin having some minutes as well. So we are going to need everybody. On Wednesday we play again, a really tough match at home, and we are going to need everybody.”
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.