Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori are both set to return to Mikel Arteta’s squad for Arsenal’s match against Crystal Palace on Saturday, with Oleksandr Zinchenko also possibly returning.
LONDON, ENGLAND: Declan Rice of Arsenal runs with the ball during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Everton FC at Emirates Stadium on December 14, 2024. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Arsenal had five players out of Wednesday’s game against Crystal Palace, but it seems a few of them are set to be back in the squad for Saturday’s game against the same opposition.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, Mikel Arteta first answered a question on Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori, confirming: “They are both available to be in the squad.”
Arteta also had updates on Takehiro Tomiyasu and Oleksandr Zinchenko, confirming that the former is out, but the latter could be involved on Saturday.
“No Tomiyasu,” Arteta said for Saturday’s game, before adding: “Zinchenko is probably available as well.”
CARSON, CALIFORNIA: Oleksandr Zinchenko of Arsenal FC celebrates after scoring during the penalty kick shootout against AFC Bournemouth at Dignity Health Sports Park on July 24, 2024. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images
If Zinchenko is indeed available, Arsenal would be very close to having their full list of left-back options available.
Kieran Tierney came off early in midweek, but Arteta claimed afterwards that it was just “cramp”. Myles Lewis-Skelly is fit, Calafiori is available, Zinchenko might be too.
Tomiyasu has played at left-back in the past, so he’s the one left-back option who definitely won’t be involved.
Takehiro Tomiyasu in training with Arsenal (Photo via Arsenal.com)
Photo via Arsenal.com
On the right, Arsenal aren’t doing quite so well. With Tomiyasu and Ben White out, Jurrien Timber is the team’s only natural right-back. But at least Timber should be able to focus on the position now, rather than shifting over to the left to fill a gap left by someone else.
As it stands, those two full-back injuries look like being Arsenal’s only absences this weekend.
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