Arsenal faces a challenging situation with up to eight players potentially missing their match against Bournemouth due to injuries. Despite these challenges, the Gunners are currently third in the Premier League table and have maintained an unbeaten record over seven games.
The most recent concern is Bukayo Saka, who was withdrawn from England’s Nations League match against Greece. After the game, England’s head coach Lee Carsley provided an update on Saka’s condition.
Lee Carsley said, “He’s being assessed. In the build-up to the first goal, you could see he felt something in his leg.”
Saka has since returned to London Colney for further assessment, casting doubt on his availability for the upcoming clash against Bournemouth.
Meanwhile, Thomas Partey and Kai Havertz were kept from international duties with Ghana and Germany, respectively, to manage minor injuries. This decision increases their chances of being available for the match on the south coast.
Another player who will definitely miss the Bournemouth game is club captain Martin Odegaard, who is recovering from ankle ligament damage. He has been absent for several weeks but shared an optimistic update on his recovery process.
Martin Odegaard said, “I just wanted to start with the latest on my injury and rehab. In the last week or so I’ve made really good progress. Hopefully, it won’t be much longer; I think we will know more as soon as I get out on the training pitches and we see how my ankle responds to that.”
Arsenal’s head coach Mikel Arteta commented on the adjustments made in training to handle the varying fitness levels of his players.
Mikel Arteta said, “We had to modify training for a lot of players. It was the same today because of the load that they had. There will be a decision to make this afternoon whether to involve them yes or no. They are close. It’s good news.”
On a positive note, Takehiro Tomiyasu, along with Mikel Merino, has recently returned to the squad after missing the first few months of the season.