Mikel Merinoplaceholder image
Mikel Merino | Getty Images
The latest injury news regarding Arsenal as they prepare for their upcoming games
Arsenal are back in Carabao Cup action on Tuesday night with their semi-finals second leg clash against Chelsea. They won the first leg 3-2 at Stamford Bridge. The Gunners remain top of the Premier League table after 24 fixtures as they eye the title.
Mikel Arteta’s side won 4-0 away at Leeds United last time out over the weekend. They sit at the summit ahead of Manchester City and Aston Villa. Here is a look at the latest injury news and return dates ahead of their upcoming games....
Arsenal injury latest regarding Mikel Merino
Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino has sustained a foot injury. He is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines and it is hoped that he can return before the end of the season but his exact return date is yet to be known at this stage. In this latest news, the club have shared this: “Further to sustaining a foot injury towards the end of our game v MUFC, subsequent assessments have confirmed Mikel has a bone injury in his right foot. Mikel will have surgery in the coming days... he is expected to be out of action for an extended period, with the aim of RTT before the end of the season.”
Bukayo Saka will need to be assessed ahead of the match against Chelsea. The winger picked up a niggle in the warm-up ahead of the Leeds match on Saturday. The Gunners will need to make checks on him and decide whether to hand him a start against the Blues.
Arteta has said: “So in the warm-up he had a little niggle. He wasn't comfortable to start the game so immediately we made a decision to make that change and bring Noni (Madueke) in and he was ready, because you cannot do that in two minutes. The way he prepares, the way he waited for an opportunity, I think it paid off today. He really impacted the team.”
Potential return dates: unknown
When is Max Dowman back for Arsenal?
Arsenal remain without winger Max Dowman. The 16-year-old is in the treatment room with an issue with his foot and is expected back later this month. They won’t take any risks with him though and will only play him again when he is fully available.
Arteta has recently shared this update: “Obviously, he's growing, and we need to be very careful and a little bit more protective. He has a different schedule as well because he needs to go to school, so we need to respect a lot of things throughout that process. But I think he's quite close. He's on the pitch now, he's doing well and hopefully we're going to be able to see him soon.”
Dowman, who is an England youth international, is being tipped for a bright future in the game. He has made five appearances in all competitions for the Gunners, two of which have come in the league. The teenager has recently penned a professional deal.
Potential return date: February
Continue Reading