Arsenal have seen three players withdraw from international duty.placeholder image
Arsenal have seen three players withdraw from international duty. | Getty Images
Arsenal have seen five players pull out of their respective squads for the international break after Sunday’s defeat at Wembley
Arsenal’s chances of securing the quadruple dissolved on Sunday as Mikel Arteta’s side were defeated 2-0 by Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
The Gunners were far from their best on the day and will hope to quickly move on from the disappointing display as they aim to get the better of City in the Premier League title race after the international break.
The north London outfit will hope that the fortnight away from domestic action will allow Arteta to have close to a clean bill of health in his squad, amid confirmation that five first-team stars have pulled out of their respective international camps for this month’s set of fixtures in preparation for the World Cup this summer. The trio add to a growing injury list at the Emirates, as the Gunners have had to do without captain Martin Odegaard for the last seven matches, while Mikel Merino is a long-term absentee and may not feature again this season.
Arsenal injury issues mount up as quintet withdraw from international duty
Eberechi Eze was a surprise absentee from the matchday squad for the Carabao Cup final and the player was visibly dejected in the stands as he was unable to prevent his boyhood club from defeat in their first major final during his time at the club.
Eze was substituted in the second half against Bayer Leverkusen in midweek, having scored the crucial opening goal which sent Arsenal on their way to victory, but was not expected to miss the cup final as per the Standard. Arteta confirmed prior to kick-off that the club had “tried everything” to make sure the playmaker was fit for the game, but to no avail. It was confirmed later on Sunday that Eze had dropped out of the England squad for the international break, with Arteta stating that the player will undergo a scan for his calf issue in the next six or seven days.
He was joined in withdrawing from international duty by William Saliba, who limited the threat of Erling Haaland admirably in the final but subsequently pulled out of the France squad, with a ten-day rest period for an ankle problem cited in a statement by the French Football Federation.
“William Saliba is unable to join the French national team's training camp, which begins this Monday, March 23,” the statement read. “The Arsenal centre-back is suffering from recurring pain in his left ankle, requiring treatment and a minimum rest period of ten days.”
Meanwhile, Jurrien Timber has also pulled out of the Netherlands squad after missing the recent matches against both Leverkusen and Man City due to an ankle injury picked up against Everton. He had initially been named in Ronald Koeman’s squad for friendly matches against Norway and Ecuador but dropped out on Sunday evening.
Arteta suggested that both Timber and Odegaard will hope to return to action after the international break, telling reporters prior to Sunday’s match: “They couldn't make it, so I think they will still be a couple of weeks. Let's see after the international break if we have anybody back.”
On Monday, it was confirmed that both Leandro Trossard and Gabriel had joined the trio in withdrawing from their respective international camps with Belgium and Brazil - Gabriel due to ‘pain in his right knee’, while an injury was not specified for Trossard but an unnamed fitness issue was cited.
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