Arsenal fans can breathe a sigh of relief as manager Mikel Arteta provides a positive injury update on defenders Gabriel and Jurrien Timber. The duo were forced to withdraw in the second half of their 2-2 draw with Liverpool, but are expected to return sooner than anticipated.
The Gunners fell five points adrift of Premier League leaders Manchester City after they were held 2-2 by Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium. This match saw both Gabriel and Timber forced to withdraw in the second half due to injuries, raising concerns about their fitness for upcoming games.
Despite these setbacks, Arteta has provided some good news for Arsenal supporters. He confirmed that both players are likely to return sooner than expected. This comes as a significant boost for the team, considering their crucial role in Arsenal's defensive line-up.
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal manager, said:
“We are still assessing him (Gabriel). It doesn't look bad at all. It was much better the next day. Hopefully he’ll be fine. He has done some tests,"
“Jurrien was fine. He was very tired. He’s been out for a while and he could not continue the game. Not a new injury there at all. We have four very demanding matches now in all different competitions and we want to win them all. We have to start tomorrow to create good momentum again and we'll put a strong team out there."
However, not all news was positive from Arteta’s camp. The manager confirmed that captain Martin Odegaard and Riccardo Calafiori will still be unavailable for the trip to Deepdale on Wednesday due to ongoing injury concerns.
Promoting young talent
In light of these injuries, Arteta has been proactive in promoting young talent within his squad. Goalkeeper Jack Porter along with fellow teenagers Josh Nichols, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri were handed their full senior debuts during Arsenal’s impressive 5-1 home win in the Bolton match in the previous round. Furthermore, two more teenagers - Maldini Kacurri and Ismeal Kabia - made their first appearances off the bench during this game. Despite this influx of young talent into his team, Arteta emphasized that winning remains his primary objective – even if it is through nurturing new talent rather than relying solely on seasoned players.
Mikel Arteta added:
"It's important because it keeps everybody alive, you maintain the winning habit, which is really important, you show that you care about the competition regardless of who you play, so you have to compete in every match. The margins are so small and tomorrow we're going to face a really tough opponent."
While injuries have posed some difficulties for Arsenal, Arteta's strategic management and positive outlook provide hope for both the team and its supporters. With key players expected to return soon and promising young talent stepping up, Arsenal fans have much to look forward to in upcoming matches.
