The latest Arsenal injury news ahead of the Gunners beginning their Premier League title defence against Frank Lampard's Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium tonight
Mikel Arteta during an Arsenal training session
Mikel Arteta and Arsenal get their Premier League season underway against Coventry City(Image: (Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images))
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Arsenal begin their Premier League title defence tonight - but they could be without Bruno Guimaraes for the game. Guimaraes joined the Gunners from Newcastle United during the summer, but he was forced off during the Community Shield victory over Manchester City last weekend.
And speaking ahead of Friday's match, Mikel Arteta admitted: "Let's see how it is, it's evolving well, but let's see for tomorrow."
Jurrien Timber remains sidelined with a long-term groin problem and William Saliba is another absentee as he continues his rehabilitation from a back injury sustained at the World Cup.
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“No, I said in the next few weeks,” Arteta said on Thursday when asked if Timber can join team training this week. “He's not training with the group yet.”
But there was better news for Gunners supporters, with Arteta confirming that Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are fit to start against the Sky Blues.
“Yes, they're ready to be involved, yes,” Arteta confirmed.
While Frank Lampard has confirmed Coventry will be without key striker Haji Wright for the clash at the Emirates Stadium.
Wright was Coventry’s top scorer last season, scoring 17 times as his side won the Sky Bet Championship. The striker has been absent from recent friendly matches against RCD Espanyol and AS Monaco.
And speaking at his press conference, Sky Blues boss Lampard revealed: “Haji Wright won’t be available for the Arsenal game.
“He won’t be available for a little while, he’s got a very serious quad injury which is disappointing for Haji and for us. It’s certainly going to be a number of weeks, could even be up to 12 weeks.”
Lampard, though, did confirm that both Ephron Mason-Clark and Jack Rudoni will be in contention to feature at the Emirates after they missed games in pre-season.
Arsenal are not only the favourites to win tonight, but they are being backed to retain their Premier League crown, but Arteta warned: "It doesn't matter. Our friend is not here today with a supercomputer and all the stats that we normally have! I think it is what it is.
"I think our supercomputer and what it has to drive us is, the standards daily to be able to, day by day, earn the right to position ourselves there in a really strong way and to play, to perform and to connect with our people in the manner that we want, and if that's the case, I'm sure we're going to be very close and then the destiny will decide what happens."