Burkina Faso
Chinese Taipei
Nigeria

Ben White, Fabio Vieira miss full Arsenal training ahead of Lens clash

sportsmole.co.uk, 28 November 2023, 14:55
Neither Ben White nor Fabio Vieira were involved in team training with Arsenal ahead of the Gunners' Champions League showdown with Lens in Group B on Wednesday evening.

The Gunners reunite with Les Sang et Or requiring only a point to advance to the Champions League knockout stages, although their top-two finish could even be confirmed before kickoff if Sevilla beat PSV Eindhoven in the 5.45pm contest.

Victory for Mikel Arteta's men would also send them through to the last 16 as group winners with a game to spare, as they hold a four-point lead over Lens and PSV thanks to a record of three wins and one defeat from their four Group B matches so far.

Several Arsenal players have been in the care of the medical team over the past few weeks, with Emile Smith Rowe and Jurrien Timber both absent due to knee injuries, while Thomas Partey is still nursing a thigh concern.

None of the trio will be fit to face Franck Haise's side in midweek, and Arteta has seemingly been handed two fresh concerns to work around, as White and Vieira did not train with the team on Tuesday.

White had sustained a knock in Arsenal's most recent Champions League win over Sevilla before the international break, which ruled him out of the Gunners' 3-1 success over Burnley on November 11.

The England international - who was only a substitute in Arsenal's 2-1 loss to Lens last month - recovered in time to make the bench for Saturday's Premier League clash with Brentford and was brought on in added time to help see out a 1-0 win.

After the bulk of Arteta's team emerged onto the London Colney training fields, White walked out with a strength and conditioning coach to carry out individual work, pouring doubt over his availability for Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Vieira was due to return to the squad for the European affair, as the Portuguese playmaker served the first of a three-game domestic ban at the weekend following his red card against Burnley.

However, Vieira was absent entirely from the main group on Tuesday, and Arsenal have not revealed the reason for the midfielder's absence, but Arteta will be expected to deliver an update in his pre-game press conference later in the day.

While Vieira would have been unlikely to force his way into the first XI, White's possible issue could see Takehiro Tomiyasu retain his place in the backline, where David Raya is expected to return in goal.

The Brentford loanee could not face his parent club on Saturday evening and handed the gloves over to Aaron Ramsdale - making his first start in the Premier League since September 3 - where the Englishman kept a clean sheet despite two first-half howlers.

Arteta also welcomed 16-year-old Ethan Nwaneri - the Premier League's youngest-ever player - and 17-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly to first-team training on Tuesday after both teenagers returned from representing England at the Under-17 World Cup.

The Gunners succumbed to strikes from Adrien Thomasson and Elye Wahi after Gabriel Jesus had opened the scoring against Lens last month, and Wednesday's game will mark their sixth meeting with the French team in all tournaments.

Arsenal have failed to win any of their previous three Champions League clashes against Les Sang et Or, although they came up trumps in both legs of their 1999-2000 UEFA Cup semi-final tie before losing to Galatasaray in the final.

Top News

18 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Feyenoord will look to end the 2023-24 Eredivisie season on a winning note when they host a struggling SBV Excelsior at De Kuip on Sunday afternoon. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Cadiz will attempt to send their survival fight to the final day of the season when they play host to Las Palmas in Sunday's La Liga contest. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Sparta Rotterdam will play their final match at Sparta-Stadion Het Kasteel for the 2023-24 Eredivisie season this Sunday afternoon when they play host to a stuttering Heerenveen. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The final match at MAC³PARK Stadion in the 2023-24 Eredivisie season will see PEC Zwolle playing host to Europa League hopefuls FC Twente on Sunday afternoon. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Wellington vs. Victory (Saturday, 7.30am) Wellington Phoenix and Melbourne Victory square off in the second leg of the A-League Finals Series semi-finals on Saturday. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid have reportedly dropped their pursuits of Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies and Lille's Leny Yoro. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Almere City and NEC draw the curtain on their respective 2023-24 Eredivisie seasons with a meeting at the Yanmar Stadion on Sunday afternoon. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has admitted he would like to manage in Spain at some point in his career. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk AZ Alkmaar will be looking to pick up a fifth straight victory when they entertain the challenge of FC Utrecht at the AFAS Stadion on Sunday. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk With the chance to guarantee their La Liga survival ahead of the final day of the season, Celta Vigo will travel to Los Carmenes to meet already-relegated Granada on Sunday. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Concluding a triumphant Ligue 1 campaign, Paris Saint-Germain head to the Stade Saint-Symphorien on Sunday to face a Metz side destined to scrap for survival in the relegation playoffs. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have reportedly received a major boost in their pursuit of summer target Teun Koopmeiners after Atalanta BC announced their asking price for his signature. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Le Havre are set to take on Marseille at Stade Oceane on Sunday evening in the final matchday of the 2023-24 Ligue 1 season. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Brentford midfielder Josh Dasilva has signed a new contract to keep him at the club until at least 2025. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk A highly-rated Arsenal academy prospect has confirmed that he will be leaving the club when his contract expires at the end of the season. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United and Arsenal will need to act swiftly if they intend to capitalise on the release clause in Jeremie Frimpong's Bayer Leverkusen contract, according to a report. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea could be without as many as seven players for their final Premier League fixture of the season at home against Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea will endeavour to end the 2023-24 campaign on a high by qualifying for European competition when they welcome Bournemouth to Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Sevilla will look to bounce back from consecutive defeats when they travel to San Mames for Sunday's La Liga clash with Athletic Bilbao. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea's Cole Palmer has won the Premier League's Young Player of the Season award for the 2023-24 season following an incredible breakthrough campaign. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Sixth-placed Lens are set to take on 12th-placed Montpellier HSC in the final game of the 2023-24 Ligue 1 season at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis on Sunday evening. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Galatasaray have the chance to seal the Turkish Super Lig title when they host arch-rivals and closest challengers Fenerbahce at Rams Park on Sunday. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny has confirmed that he is leaving the club at the end of the season. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof and Anthony Martial are all training with Manchester United ahead of the team's final match of the 2023-24 Premier League season against Brighton & Hove Albion. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Napoli have reportedly entered the race to sign Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood during this summer's transfer window. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two midtable sides will go head-to-head when Alaves welcome Getafe to Mendizorroza for Saturday's La Liga contest. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Playing their final home fixture of a stellar Serie A season, champions Inter Milan welcome Lazio to San Siro on Sunday evening. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City will be without first-choice goalkeeper Ederson for Sunday's Premier League title decider against West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk For just the third time in the last 11 years, the Premier League title race will be decided on the final day, with reigning champions Manchester City looking to retain their crown at home against West Ham United on Sunday afternoon. 17 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal's Aaron Ramsdale has reportedly agreed a move to Newcastle United during this summer's transfer window.