Arsenal’s Coach Mikel Arteta has spoken ahead of their home game against Leicester. The Gunners Gaffer talked about the latest information on the fitness of the squad. Arsenal has been plagued with some injuries affecting some key players. With names like Martin Odegaard, Zinchenko, Tomiyasu, and Mikel Merino who hasn’t even gotten his first start of the season, as a new signing.
However, in Arteta’s latest press conference, he has provided a positive update on one of the injured players. He gave encouraging news about Merino’s fitness. Although the Spaniard won’t be fit for Leicester, he can be getting closer to his first start, as the weeks roll by. However, for the likes of Odegaard, they are still out for a while.
Arsenal’s Injury Crises
The Gunners are currently experiencing some form of injury crisis. With big names like Odegaard, Zinchenko, Merino, and Tomiyasu out for some time. The injury started to pile up when their new signing Mikel Merino fell during training and fractured his shoulder. Later on in the international break, Martin Odegaard was reported to have torn a ligament in his ankle when Norway clashed with Austria. So far it hasn’t been good news for Mikel Arteta, especially the injury to Martin Odegaard.
The Norwegian has been extremely key for the Gunners this season and last. His absence in Arsenal’s past game has forced them to reduce the intensity of their attacking play. As it’s known the Norwegian is the anchor for most of Arsenal’s attacking play. Nonetheless, with the latest news of Merino being closer to return Mikel Arteta will hope he can incorporate the Spaniard into helping the Gunners discover their blitzing form.
Mikel Arteta on Merino
The Spaniard spoke about his compatriot fitness ahead of Leicester’s game. Even though the Merino seems to be very close to fitness. Arteta believes he’s not ready for tomorrow’s game. But on the bright side, he might be making his return very soon.
Mikel Arteta said: “Tomorrow is too soon. Next week we’ll see,” Arteta said of the midfielder. “He had partial training today. He’s been working so hard. It’s looking good. It’s about the healing of the bone and how mature that is to expose him to contact basically. We are trying to keep him in the cage, because he’s been pushing everyone — the physios, the doctors, everybody — and he’s ready to go, and he really wants it. I think we are comfortable now to start exposing him with contact, and he looked really good in training.”
Arteta on Raya
Mikel Arteta also dropped an update on David Raya’s fitness and he confirmed that the Spanish keeper might not make it for the Leicester game. However, he’ll decide tomorrow whether to use him or not. He said: “We have to wait 24 hours to see if he is looking good or not that good, It’s not risk, it is about a player being fit or available or not. We will make the decision tomorrow.”
Arteta lightly talked about him and Pep Guardiola and especially their relationship, after the intense 2-2 draw. He said: “I love him, I respect him, I admire him and I admire his team and everything that he does, This is sport. One thing is our profession, another is our personal relationship.”
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