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Mikel Arteta may find himself without key players as Arsenal prepare to face Nottingham Forest in the first round of the Premier League on Tuesday.
Despite ending a three-game losing streak with a 5-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace, concerns emerged from that game, with questions raised over the availability of key players Gabriel Magalhães and Declan Rice. There is.
Both players were substituted with injuries in the match against Palace, leaving Arteta unsure whether he will feature against Forest. Gabriel Magalhães suffered bruises in a collision during the match, but is currently being evaluated and there is optimism that he may recover in time for the visit to the City Ground.
His decision to substitute against Palace appears to have been precautionary, and his absence from recent training images released by the club has added to the uncertainty surrounding his fitness.
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In Monday’s pre-match press conference, manager Arteta shed some light on Gabriel’s situation, saying: “He was feeling a bit uncomfortable in the tackle in the first half and was struggling a little bit, so it would be a good idea to take him out of the game. It was perfect timing,” he said. field. ”
On Declan Rice, Arteta said the midfielder is one of the players who has been slow to make decisions, adding: “He’s done some work, but he’s also slacked off at times. Hopefully he’ll do well. It’ll be okay.”
A bright spot for Arsenal is the return of Thomas Partey, who resumed training at the start of the week after several months out of action. However, the Ghanaian midfielder will not be selected for the game against Nottingham Forest.
Commenting on Partey’s position, Arteta said: [late decisions]. That’s what it is. We want everyone to be available and he’s a top player for us and a really important player for us, but he’s not fit at the moment. ”
While Partey’s return brings optimism, concerns persist over potential injuries to Gabriel and Reis, especially since neither player has been featured in Arsenal’s recent training photos. Gabriel Jesus, another notable absentee, raises further questions about the squad’s overall fitness.
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