Arteta will likely welcome back a key player to his staring lineupplaceholder image
Arteta will likely welcome back a key player to his staring lineup | AFP via Getty Images
Arsenal are set for a big fitness boost ahead of their FA Cup clash with Portsmouth.
Arteta will now get the chance to rest some players against Championship side Portsmouth, and with another game as soon as Wednesday, when Arsenal face Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg, the Spaniard would be wise to rotate.
But in a big boost, striker Kai Havertz looks to be cleared as fit enough to start after spending time on the bench of late following a long-term injury. “If everything goes well, I think so,” Arteta responded when asked if this is the game he had in mind for the German to start.
“I think he’s going to be in the squad again in the next few days. He trains well, he’s increased his load, he’s coping with that really well. And it will be great if we can have him.”
Asked about whether he has to temper expectations upon Havertz’s return from a big injury, Arteta added: “Yes, but I understand this is the level as well. And when a player has the chance to put our shirt on and compete for us, you know that the demands are excellence - and that’s it. Kai is aware of that.”
Arteta on rotation and injuries
There is a fine line between respecting opponents and keeping a squad fit for important games, and Arteta will be well aware of that with the experience of recent seasons, including an injury-hit last season.
“Well, let’s see who is available and if some players can be back for that game,” Arteta said when asked about rotation here. “But we have to manage (the situation), obviously, because what is coming again in the next few weeks. I think we have four away games in different competitions, and we have to make sure that everybody is participating, we continue to perform and win games. And we’re going to have to manage that one.”
On the injury front, Arteta confirmed that Riccardo Calafiori will be out here, while he added on Piero Hincapie, who has a fresh issue: “I don’t know, we have to see the extent of what happened to Piero. He could not carry on in the second half, so I don’t know exactly what it is. But Myles is having chances, he’s playing and he’s doing well, so he needs to continue to do that.”
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