Mikel Arteta handed boost as Arsenal star closes in on return from injury

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been handed a much-needed boost as one of his star players closes in on a return from injury, according to a report.

Arsenal injury doubts ahead of crucial Liverpool match

This Sunday, the Premier League title-chasing Gunners take on fellow major contenders Liverpool in a blockbuster bout – which will surely go a long way in determining 2024/2025’s eventual champions.

Arne Slot’s Reds are in absolutely excellent form – winning seven of their opening eight league matches so far this season – while Arsenal were unbeaten before their 2-0 slump at Bournemouth last weekend, a match which also saw star defender William Saliba sent off.

As a result, the north Londoners will be without Saliba this weekend as they prepare to host Liverpool at the Emirates. That is a big blow for Arteta, who could also be without another centre-back in summer signing Riccardo Calafiori, after the Italy international was forced off during their Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday night.

Takehiro Tomiyasu could be out for a few weeks, following a recurrence of his knee injury which had kept him out since pre-season, before he made his first and only appearance of the campaign against Southampton just prior to the international break.

Jurrien Timber is an Arsenal doubt to face Liverpool as well, so it looks as if Arteta could be very short defensively in the worst case scenario. Meanwhile, uncertainty also surrounds Bukayo Saka and his involvement against the Merseysiders, with the £195,000-per-week star missing their last two games after picking up a leg injury on international duty with England.

“We’re going to do our very best to somehow have them available but it’s very uncertain,” said Arteta on Saka, Timber and Calafiori ahead of Liverpool.

“He [Calafiori] needs some more tests. Yesterday he had some, today he’s going to have some more and after that we will know. Last time we thought it was really bad and he ended up playing two or three days after, so let’s see how it is.

“He [Saka] has done a bit of training on the grass. How far we can get him to Sunday, that’s a different question. We have another day, which is a good thing, but we’ll see.

“Timber, again, it’s the first session that he could have some involvement. He’s been out for a while, we expected him to be further back than where he is at the moment but, again, we have to wait and see.”

Another player who could be set to miss their crucial encounter tomorrow is captain Martin Odegaard, who’s been unavailable since he suffered ankle ligament damage in Norway’s 2-1 win over Austria in September.

Boost for Arsenal as Odegaard closes in on injury return

As per the Associated Press, via Daily Mail, it is believed Odegaard is “nearing a return” from his ankle injury in a boost for Arsenal, but Arteta has not said whether he will be fit in time for Liverpool.

The 25-year-old attacking midfielder wasn’t able to play a part in many important fixtures – including away games at Tottenham and Man City – and Arsenal have done very well to cope without his presence.

Odegaard has bagged 23 goals and 17 assists for Arsenal in the Premier League alone since the beginning of 2022/2023, playing a key role in their very close races with Man City.

The former Real Madrid ace’s return is imperative, and while we have no exact date, this whisper he is close will come as some much-needed good news.