Arsenal travel to face Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, and manager Mikel Arteta has provided an injury update for three key players.
The Gunners slipped up once again in midweek, with Wolves scoring a 94th-minute equaliser to deny Arteta’s men all three points at Molineux. The result extends Arsenal’s lead at the top to five points, although Manchester City now have a game in hand over their rivals.
As is the way in the modern congested fixture schedule, the North Londoners have an opportunity to respond instantly this weekend as they make the short journey to N17 to take on their hated rivals.
Mikel Arteta issues injury updates on Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz
Arsenal were without Martin Odegaard for the visit to the West Midlands in midweek, while Kai Havertz was also absent from the matchday squad.
The pair have consistently been unavailable throughout this season, with Odegaard suffering from a variety of different fitness issues and Havertz finding it difficult to fully recover from a serious knee injury that kept him out for four months.
Speaking to the media on Friday afternoon, Arteta provided an update on both players.
“We have to wait till tomorrow, there is a little possibility that they are available,” the tactician said.
A typically coy response from Arteta, that gives little away, although it does seem as though the two players’ availability is in the balance.
Mikel Arteta provides Leandro Trossard injury update
Not only were the Gunners without Odegaard and Havertz for the game at Wolves, but they were also forced to take both Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka off.
In the 75th minute, Saka pulled up with an unknown issue and was subsequently withdrawn. Meanwhile, Trossard, who had only been introduced in place of Arsenal’s talisman with 15 minutes left to play, was also hooked after sustaining a knock in the closing stages.
Arteta was optimistic about Trossard’s availability heading to Tottenham this weekend, while Saka is understood to be in the green zone.
“Yeah, he is fine,” the boss said on the Belgian.
The two players could well be the starting wing pairing for the visit to N17, with Trossard likely to displace a below-par Gabriel Martinelli and Saka likely to move back into his natural position following a stint as an attacking midfielder.
