A fresh fitness worry as hit Arsenal as the festive fixture schedule ramps up.
Gabriel Martinelli is expected to miss the Champions League against PSV due to illness, while Bukayo Saka missed Monday’s education consultation due to a knock.
Saka’s move will most likely keep him out of the box on Tuesday night, but Mikel Arteta can still rest his starting line-up, given that the game is dead, with Emile Smith Rowe hoping to be in contention for a return.
The Gunners lost the most sensitive spot in the Premier League table after their defeat to Aston Villa and face a series of tough fixtures when they host Brighton next weekend before travelling to Liverpool to face Anfield.
Mikel Arteta’s hopes of managing his squad through a packed fixture list have been hampered by injury problems, with full-backs Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jurrien Timber unavailable, while Fabio Vieira remains absent and Thomas Partey is yet to return.
Here’s everything you want to know about Arsenal’s injury list. . .
Ahead of Arsenal’s trip to PSV, a bout of illness is expected to keep Martinelli on the sidelines.
However, the challenge does look serious after Standard Sport reported his absence from training on Monday.
Possible return date: December 17 against Brighton
A frustrating crusade for Smith Rowe has seen him make a Premier League start, 524 days since the last one at the end of October against Sheffield United.
It happened after just 161 minutes of football league last season, but that new wait is coming to an end.
Standard Sport understands that Smith Rowe hopes to play a role in Eindhoven after returning this week from a knee injury.
Possible return date: December 12, against PSV
Thomas Partey has been out since October after injuring his thigh in training.
His availability would be a huge boost for the Gunners, that is, as the Gunners are running out of right-back roles and Partey will update him if needed, but it is unlikely that the 30-year-old will return before Christmas.
Arteta asked last week if Partey could return to Anfield instead of Liverpool on December 23, but the Arsenal boss is reluctant to offer a date for his return.
“He is getting a very good evolution in the injury, but it’s a bit early to get a timeframe,” Arteta said.
“It’s going to be incredibly quick if he’s able to do it (return to Liverpool), so we’ll have to wait. “
Possible return date: early January 2024
It is possible that the Gunners will be without Takehiro Tomiyasu until February.
The flexible defender suffered a calf injury against Wolves earlier this month, and this is expected to keep him out of action for four to six weeks.
However, even if Tomiyasu returns as expected in early January, he will participate in the Asian Cup, which will end until the final on February 10 if the finalist makes it this far with Japan.
Potential return date: Mid/late January 2024
Fabio Vieira is expected to be out for the rest of the year after groin surgery.
The midfielder went to a specialist after feeling some discomfort and it was necessary to have surgery, as Viera underwent surgery at the end of November.
“We don’t expect him to come back in this aspect of the winter break,” Arteta said.
Potential return date: Late January 2024
Summer signing Jurrien Timber remains a long-term absentee from the Gunners after injuring his anterior cruciate ligament in his knee on his Premier League debut in August.
That means he only played 50 minutes in his first season in England, and Timber is still on the schedule for his return as he has yet to work out away from home.
Reports in the Netherlands last month claimed that the defender is facing a battle to play again this season, and is a doubt for Euro 2024 next summer as a result, but there has been official confirmation of that.
“He’s been for a few walks but that’s very far from competing,” Arteta recently admitted.
Possible return date: Spring/Summer 2024
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