"Good news": Mikel Arteta delivers Arsenal injury update ahead of Man City final
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has delivered a fresh injury update before the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.
The Gunners are aiming to win their first silverware since August 2020, and ahead of the game, Arteta has provided an update on two first-team players.
Martin Odegaard (knee) and Jurrien Timber (ankle) have been on the sidelines recently. When asked about the duo, the manager said that he is hopeful of ‘good news’ in Saturday’s training session.
He told reporters: “We have another training session [on Saturday], so the ones that are in contention hopefully can give us good news. We have another session, so let’s see if they can make it.”
Odegaard has been nursing a knee problem sustained during the 1-1 Premier League draw at Brentford. He did make a cameo against Tottenham Hotspur, but has been uncomfortable to play ever since.
Timber, on the other hand, sustained a minor setback during the 2-0 league victory over Everton. The Dutchman was subsequently replaced by Cristhian Mosquera in the right-back position.
Ben White took the defensive role in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Bayer Leverkusen. Arteta has a big selection headache on his hands if Timber is deemed unfit.
Timber has shown exceptional fitness levels since his long-term knee injury during his debut season, and we won’t be surprised if the 24-year-old makes the starting XI against the Cityzens.
Meanwhile, Odegaard’s absence has been a blessing in disguise for Eberechi Eze, who has been a consistent starter from the number 10 position for Arsenal over the past few weeks.
Eze broke the deadlock against Leverkusen with a stunning strike from the edge of the box, and could have a huge role to play on Sunday. The Englishman delivered a memorable assist for Gabriel Martinelli, who scored a dramatic late equaliser against Man City in the league back in September.
Even if Odegaard is deemed fit, the club captain could feature as a substitute. Eze’s recent form and performances mean he should keep his starting spot in the League Cup final this weekend.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
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