Matt Scrafton's verdict on Burnley's 2-0 defeat to Arsenal
The latest Arsenal team news, injury updates and predicted starting XI as they prepare to face Slavia Prague in the Champions League.
Arsenal will put their perfect Champions League record to the test on Tuesday evening when they travel to Czechia to take on Slavia Prague – but Mikel Arteta may have to make the trip without as many as seven first-team players due to mounting injuries.
The Gunners’ fitness problems were compounded during Saturday's 2-0 win over Burnley with summer signings Viktor Gyökeres and Martín Zubimendi both withdrawn mid-match due to apparent injuries, and we’ve got updates on both players along with the rest of the latest Arsenal team news below ahead of what fans will hope will be the club’s tenth consecutive win.
Will Viktor Gyökeres be available for Arsenal in the Champions League?
There was a mixture of good and bad news on Monday evening in the wake of worries over the fitness of Gyökeres and Zubimendi – but ultimately neither player will be involved in Prague on Tuesday.
Gyökeres, who was replaced by Mikel Merino at half-time after feeling what Arteta described post-game as “a little niggle” was unable to train on Monday and the Arsenal head coach has now confirmed that he will miss the match against Slavia Prague – but it remains unclear whether the Swede is set for an extended spell on the sidelines.
“He is definitely not available, he hasn’t trained today,” Arteta told the media on Monday evening. “We need to do some more tests and scans in the next few days to understand the extent of the injury, but for this game, he is not available. I am concerned, because he hasn’t had many muscular issues.”
With Kai Havertz (knee) and Gabriel Jesus (ACL) both out of action – Havertz could return after the November international break – it seems likely that Merino could be pressed into service as an emergency centre-forward once again, with Leandro Trossard the other option available to Arteta.
Will Martín Zubimendi or Gabriel Martinelli play against Slavia Prague?
There was better news for Spanish midfielder Zubimendi, at least, after the 26-year-old was substituted at his own request towards the end of the win over Burnley – he was in full training on Monday and does not appear to have sustained a significant injury.
Sadly, Zubimendi still won’t be able to play against Slavia Prague as he is suspended for one match having collected a yellow card in each of Arsenal’s three Champions League games to date. Declan Rice, who is likely to play in Prague with Zubimendi out, is on two bookings and will miss Arsenal’s match against Bayern Munich should he be cautioned this week.
Elsewhere, Arsenal will still be without club captain Martin Ødegaard and winger Noni Madueke (both knee), with both players hoping to return in late November, but there is continued uncertainty over the status of Gabriel Martinelli – the Brazilian has missed the last two matches with an unspecified injury sustained against Crystal Palace and Arteta has yet to offer any information about the nature of the problem or when he is likely to be back in the side.
Arsenal have no further known injury concerns but may use Tuesday’s game as an opportunity to rotate players such as Miles Lewis-Skelly and Ben White back into the starting line-up as he has in previous Champions League games this season.
Arsenal predicted line-up vs. Slavia Prague: Raya; Lewis-Skelly, Gabriel, Saliba, White; Rice, Nørgaard, Eze; Trossard, Saka, Merino.
Continue Reading