Double boost? Mikel Arteta will hope that both Declan Rice and Kai Havertz can return for Arsenal against Newcastle
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Arsenal will make a late decision on all of Declan Rice, Gabriel Martinelli, Jurrien Timber and Leandro Trossard against Newcastle, while Kai Havertz may return.
The Gunners have been dealing with a number of injury issues ahead of their penultimate Premier League fixture of the season on Sunday and last at the Emirates Stadium.
England midfielder Rice missed Sunday’s eventful 2-2 draw with champions Liverpool at Anfield with what was initially thought to be a hip issue later reported as a hamstring problem, though was back at training earlier this week.
However, while forward Trossard was also taking part at an open session at the Emirates on Wednesday after being substituted on Merseyside with his own hamstring injury, right-back Timber was absent and Gabriel Martinelli limped off early in another scare.
Havertz has also joined in with parts of training this week and could be in line to play for the first time since the second leg of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup semi-final defeat by Newcastle on February 5, as the Gunners prepare to face Eddie Howe’s side for the fourth time this season.
The German forward was initially feared lost for the season after tearing his hamstring during a training camp in Dubai, but has recovered quicker than expected and hoping to feature in the final two matches of the campaign.
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“We are going to decide that tomorrow,” Arteta said at Friday’s pre-match press conference when asked if Havertz could play against Newcastle. “He has done certain parts of the sessions in the past two days. He looks in great shape.”
Quizzed on Rice, Martinelli, Timber and Trossard, he added: “They have done parts of the sessions, not the complete sessions. We are going to have to see tomorrow.”
Arsenal will definitely be without Mikel Merino against Newcastle as the Spaniard serves an automatic one-match ban after being sent off for receiving two yellow cards following his equaliser at Anfield.
Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Jesus and Takehiro Tomiyasu all remain long-term injury absentees.