Arsenal will see several of its players participating during the final international break of the season, with hopes that they all return to north London without injury. Notable players such as Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, William Saliba, and Gabriel will be representing their respective national teams this week.
The team will resume its campaign on April 1, facing Fulham in the Premier League. However, with their title aspirations nearly extinguished, their attention will shift towards the Champions League, where Mikel Arteta’s squad has been matched against the reigning champions, Real Madrid.
They will play at home on April 8 before traveling to the Bernabeu on April 16, aiming to secure the title for the first time in the club’s history. In light of these developments, Mirror Football has reviewed the latest updates from the Emirates.
Arsenal icon Paul Merson has expressed his confusion regarding Arteta’s assertion that Chelsea is the “best attacking team in the league.”
“I don’t know what I’m missing,” Merson told Sky Sports in response to Arteta’s comments. “When Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer are playing, they’re a good team. They bring the best out of each other.
“Palmer’s a better player when Jackson’s playing and Jackson’s a better player when Palmer’s playing. That is fact. But I’m flabbergasted by that quote. I honestly don’t get that. There will be a lot of Chelsea fans reading that thinking, ‘Wow, what is he talking about?'”
Saka has been sidelined since he sustained a torn hamstring during the match against Crystal Palace on December 21, and his absence has been significantly felt. Prior to Arsenal’s victory over Chelsea, Arteta commented on Saka’s recovery, stating, “He is getting closer, making strides, and I would say he is showing excellent progress.”
In his 24 appearances across all competitions, Saka has contributed to 22 goals, and the return of the 23-year-old would provide a substantial advantage for the Gunners as they aim for success in the Champions League.
Injury latest
While Saka is anticipated to return next month, Arsenal is currently facing several other long-term injury challenges.
Kai Havertz sustained a hamstring injury during the team’s training camp in Dubai last month, necessitating surgery. Additionally, Gabriel Jesus incurred an ACL injury during a match against Manchester United in January.
Both players have been confirmed to miss the remainder of the season. Furthermore, versatile defender Takehiro Tomiyasu is also projected to be unavailable for the rest of the campaign, following knee surgery last month.
Leave a Reply