Arsenal will be missing some key players in their upcoming important matches, which will determine if they can challenge City for the Premier League title this season. The Gunners started the season quite well, having won 3 out 4 of their premier league matches and drawing once this season.
This is a crucial time for Arteta men to stay fit since their next matches will determine how they will perform in their next two matches against Everton and Tottenham. The Gunners will be facing a tough test against Everton on Sunday, which will be a tricky match considering the fact that Mikel Arteta has had several terrible performances at Goodison Park since becoming Arsenal’s manager. Their next match will be against Spurs at the Emirates Stadium on 24 September.
Arsenal supporters and punters working on their sports betting strategies are probably wondering how The Gunners will perform in their upcoming matches, considering the fact that their injury list was boosted by international fixtures. Let’s take a look at Arsenal’s injury list and return dates and see how they can manage to win their upcoming matches in their current situation.
Mohammed Elneny
Mohammed Elneny hasn’t featured for Arsenal in 9 months. The 31-year-old picked a knee injury, and although he underwent a successful surgery, the injury ruled him out for the greater part of the season.
Elneny might not be the biggest part of Arteta’s first 11 squad, but he is still a valuable piece of the team. The squad needs his experience since he is among the longest-serving players at the Emirates right now. He is most likely to return in October 2023.
Jurrien Timber
Timber suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury on his Premier League debut against Nottingham Forest. Having played just 48 minutes for the Gunners, this is presumably their most damaging injury so far, considering the fact that they signed him for 34 million in the summer.
Timber walking out of the pitch after his injury gave Arteta and Arsenal supporters some hope of him returning to the pitch sooner, but unfortunately, it turned out to be a serious injury.
The 22-year-old is expected to return around March 2024, with the possibility of staying on the sidelines the whole of next season.
Gabriel Magalhães
Gabriel is another key player that fans are not sure if he will feature in the upcoming Arsenal match against Everton. The centre-back showed a stellar performance in Arsenal’s win against Manchester United.
The 25-year-old picked up an injury on international duty for Brazil, which left Arteta worried ahead of their upcoming matches.
Nonetheless, it seems that Gabriel will return soon after physical therapy doctor, Dr. Rajpal Brar, stated that the injury might be contact-related and not a muscle pull. He may start in the match against Everton and Tottenham since the likes of Partey are still in recovery mode.
Thomas Partey
Partey will be missing the Gunners’ match against Everton due to an injury. According to Ghana FA, the 30-year-old suffered a blow in training.
Arteta believes that Partey will be out for a few weeks. But the time he will be out remains to be seen because, according to the manager, the injury didn’t look good.
The Ghanaian international is expected to return in October 2023.
The Bukayo Saka Situation
An Achilles injury has been nagging Bukayo Saka for quite some time, which saw him miss several Arsenal matches last season. Saka is among the best Arsenal wingers right now, having scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists last season.
Saka being left on the bench during England’s friendly against Scotland sparked some worries among Arsenal supporters, but it was probably due to the Achilles injury that Gareth Southgate had previously mentioned in June after Saka scored a hat trick against North Macedonia.
At the time, Southgate noted that Saka had an Achilles injury for a few weeks, and it just needed to be managed.
Last season, the 22-year-old was named PFA Player of the Season and also made it to the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.
Amidst all this, Arteta should be keen enough regarding the dangers of persisting through such injuries. Nonetheless, the winger looks fully fit to start against Everton and Tottenham.
Final Thought
Despite Arsenal struggling with injuries, Arteta has key players like Leandro Trossard, Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, and Bukayo Saka to start in the upcoming two matches. Besides, Mohamed Elneny is closing in on a return to Arteta’s squad, which will bring some experience to the team.
