Mikel Arteta is managing Arsenal injuries.placeholder image
Mikel Arteta is managing Arsenal injuries. | Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Mikel Arteta takes first team Arsenal training but one first team star hasn't been spotted in the session.
Arsenal first team stars returned to training on Tuesday morning after a two-day break following a last gasp 2-1 win over struggling Wolves on Saturday night.
Mikel Arteta’s side remain top of the table but had to put in a huge shift to overcome the visitors at the Emirates Stadium, a 94th minute Yerson Mosquera own goal needed to respond to a 90th minute leveller.
The Gunners travel to Everton on Saturday evening before a quick return to North London when Crystal Palace visit in Carabao Cup action in a week’s time. There are then the visits of Brighton and Aston Villa before the end of 2025.
Arsenal return to training after Wolves victory
Sky Sports had camera on Arsenal training on Tuesday and spotted another potential worry for the side. Martin Zubimendi could not be seen taking part in training.
The 26-year-old, who was signed from Real Sociedad for £55 million this summer, has been an ever-present in the Premier League this season. Zubimendi has started every league game and racked up over 1,757 minutes already this term.
Martin Zubimendi absent from Gunners training session
There was no sign of an injury against Wolves but the midfielder was taken off after 58 minutes. Sky Sports report that the player is ‘doing work elsewhere’ but that cryptic update does not rule out some sort of injury niggle.
Sky Sports reporter Gary Cotterill said: “Mikel Arteta out there with most of the players. I do have to point out that I can’t see [Martin] Zubimendi among the players who are out there.
“He isn’t injured, as far as we know, so we’d have expected him to be out there. Potentially, because it’s their first day back training after a couple of days off, he could be inside in the gym or doing his own work. He’s played a lot of minutes.”
Speaking about Zubmendi ahead of facing Wolves, Arteta had heaped praise on the midfielder. He said: “Very impressed because I know the difficulty of coming into this league and doing what he's doing immediately. First of all, you have to earn the role within the team and that's not easy to do. Then it's a different way of playing, a different league. But as you said, the variety of actions and involvements that he has in the game is exceptional.
“His defending metrics are incredible and I had no doubt that he could produce that, but this is the Premier League and you have to prove it. Then attacking-wise as well, the positions he takes, the way he's opened up teams in many ways, his goal threat, the capacity to assist. He's improved on set-pieces as well and he has a lot to improve in that area as well.
“He's a player that is never going to be satisfied. You can tell when I praise him individually, it's never enough, he's never satisfied with his performance, but that's what makes him as well.”
In other news, Arsenal transfer target gets expediated Real Madrid debut as Martin O'Neill sends Aston Villa warning.
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