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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta (Dylan Martinez)
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has declared Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Martin Zubimendi available for this afternoon’s Community Shield against Manchester City after returning to training following extended breaks after the World Cup.
The trio has linked up with the squad and could feature despite missing the pre-season programme.
“They will be available; they trained with us today. They will train tomorrow, and if they’re in the condition we expect them to be in, they will be involved,” Arteta told reporters.
Saka managed an Achilles issue late last season, while Rice revealed during the World Cup he had been dealing with hamstring-related neural pain since December before also suffering a knee problem.
Injury-hit season
Arteta said a period of rest had helped both players ahead of the new campaign and added that captain Martin Odegaard was also well-placed to regain consistency after an injury-hit season.
“With him [Odegaard] and Bukayo as well, I see something else. Obviously they had some issues last year and they couldn’t have the consistency levels that they know they can bring to the team,” the 44-year-old manager said.
“So there’s a big margin and a big gap there that I think the team is going to benefit from because I can see the desire in them.”
Odegaard endured a disrupted campaign last season due to recurring knee, muscle and shoulder injuries, making only 16 Premier League starts.
Making good progress
Arteta also provided an update on defender Jurrien Timber, who is recovering from a groin injury that ruled him out of the World Cup, saying the Dutchman was making good progress but was still weeks away from a return. “Jurrien is progressing really well, he is on the pitch,” he said.
“We’re ramping up now with certain actions and especially the volume and the load, and I think he’s on a good trajectory, but there are still a few weeks to go. He needs to start training with the group in the next week or so, hopefully, and then see how he progresses from there.”
Centre-back William Saliba, meanwhile, remains sidelined with a back injury sustained during the World Cup.
The Gunners will start their Premier League campaign against Coventry City on Friday, August 21.
— Reuters