Arsenal move into the weekend with a familiar sense of juggling act, managing injuries while trying to maintain rhythm in the Premier League. As Wolves arrive in North London, Mikel Arteta’s squad list tells its own story, with availability still in question for several key names. With Arsenal, Mikel Arteta and Wolves dominating the search traffic around this fixture, the focus naturally falls on who might be ready to feature.
Key players under assessment
Cristhian Mosquera, Gabriel, Kai Havertz and Max Dowman have all been ruled out for the Wolves clash and Arteta made clear that nothing has changed on that front. What remains fluid is the condition of others who hover in the uncertain territory between doubtful and possible.
Asked about Declan Rice, Arteta kept the door open without committing to anything. “Let’s see how it is today. Obviously he was ill, that’s an illness. Normally in a few days it gets resolved. We have to wait how far he can push.” Arsenal often rely on Rice’s stability in midfield, and his availability would significantly influence how the team structure up against Wolves.
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Leandro Trossard falls into a similar category of short term uncertainty. “[Trossard is] again, another one that’s a matter of days. Sounds boring but it’s the reality, so we don’t know and if he’s available for how long.” His creativity in tight games has been invaluable this season and Arsenal would welcome even limited minutes if he proves ready.
Timber and Saliba situations
Jurrien Timber’s absence raised some eyebrows after he trained during the week, but Arteta clarified that a minor setback disrupted his progress. The defender took a “kick” in the 3-1 win at Aston Villa that left him uncomfortable, and that was enough to keep him out of the squad.
“Depends how he feels today,” Arteta said of the Dutchman. “It was a knock that he picked [up] and he wasn’t feeling comfortable. Again, I think it’s matter of days. Whether it’s tomorrow or not we will see.” Arsenal supporters will hope the cautious approach pays off, especially given what Timber adds to their buildup play.
William Saliba, meanwhile, has missed four straight matches after suffering a training ground knock before the Chelsea trip. His presence has often underpinned Arsenal’s defensive control so his potential return would be a major lift.
“We have to wait and see,” Arteta said. “Yesterday we didn’t train, he hasn’t trained with us yet. We have an extra day, we train this afternoon. Let’s see if he can be available or not.” Arteta expanded on the nature of the problem, saying: “It was something quite small. It came from an ankle injury that he had, and it started to modify the way he was running. Started to overload an area. At some point, he was uncomfortable continuing to train and play. He looks better, but we have to see if it’s enough for him to be able to train with the team.”
Outlook for Saturday
With Wolves struggling for form, Arsenal will still be favourites at the Emirates Stadium, but Arteta must again weigh risk and reward when it comes to reintroducing players. The margins in the Premier League remain tight and fitness management often shapes the story of the season as much as tactics.