Fresh concerns: Mikel Arteta consoles Martin Zubimendi after the Spaniard asked to come off against Burnley
Arsenal Football Newsletter
Arsenal are sweating on the fitness of Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokeres after they were forced to come off against Burnley.
Gyokeres, who opened the scoring in Arsenal’s 2-0 win at Turf Moor, was substituted at half time with what Mikel Arteta described as a “little niggle”.
Zubimendi was hooked in the final 15 minutes of the game and Arteta revealed that was also due to a muscular issue.
Arsenal will be hoping the pair are fine as they are next in action on Tuesday evening, when they travel to Slavia Prague in the Champions League.
“I think that was one of the best games he (Gyokeres) has played,” said Arteta. “I think overall his performance was exceptional.
“Everything - his high press, his position and his touches. His running in behind, the way he linked play, the way he got us from this situation to transition moments, a lot. I think he was in a really good moment.
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“It’s a shame that he felt something. We had to take him off because he was feeling a little niggle. So we’ll have to wait and see.
“He felt something muscular so we have to wait to learn the extent of that.”
On Zubimendi, Arteta said: “He asked to be subbed, so we’ll have to wait and see.”
Viktor Gyokeres opened the scoring for Arsenal at Turf Moor
The potential injuries to Gyokeres and Zubimendi were the only downer for Arsenal as they moved seven points clear at the top of the Premier League.
The Gunners dominated Burnley as they kept a seventh clean sheet in a row. They did not concede a single shot on target, either.
“The first half was exceptional, we scored two goals and gave nothing away,” said Arteta. “That was the platform.
“We had to make a few changes and didn’t have that much control in the second half. The defending was exceptional again, we didn’t give anything away.”