Indonesia
Nigeria
South Africa

Mikel Arteta delivers Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard update ahead of Burnley clash

sportsmole.co.uk, 10 November 2023, 14:24
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has refused to give too much away over the fitness of Bukayo Saka for Saturday's Premier League showdown with Burnley.

As has been the case in several matches already this season, Saka was the victim of some rough treatment from Sevilla players in Wednesday's Champions League clash, drawing five fouls in total.

Los Palanganas players escaped bookings for their handful of fouls on Saka in the first half, but the England international still played a huge part in that 2-0 win, setting up Leandro Trossard before firing home in the second half.

However, Saka - who is yet to complete the full 90 in a Champions League game this season - was taken off in the dying embers with an ankle issue, and he was not moving at all comfortably at full-time either.

Arteta was asked for an update on the winger's fitness in Friday's press conference, and while he revealed that Saka had been in a "lot of pain", the England international - who has been called up to Gareth Southgate's squad for November's fixtures - trained on Thursday and is in with a chance of featuring.

"B had to leave the pitch because he was in quite a lot of pain. He trained yesterday and let's see if he can make it tomorrow," arsenal.com quotes the Spaniard as saying.

While Saka is in with a chance of making the cut, none of Jurrien Timber (knee), Thomas Partey (muscle), Emile Smith Rowe (knee) or Gabriel Jesus (hamstring) are likely to face the Clarets.

Partey has been out of action since sustaining a fresh issue before last month's Champions League win over Sevilla, which Arteta conceded at the time would keep him out for a number of weeks.

A fresh report from The Athletic states that the Ghana international has now been forced to go under the knife to treat his issue - which is in the thigh area - and he could potentially be missing for the remainder of the calendar year.

Arsenal are supposedly looking to cash in on Partey in January amid his perpetual fitness struggles, but Arteta stressed in his press conference that the midfielder would spend "weeks" rather than "months" on the sidelines.

"He's progressing really well but it was a significant injury. Hopefully it's going to be weeks and not months and he's working towards that. He needs support and hopefully the injury will heal in the right way and we'll have him back, because he's a big player for us.," the Spaniard added.

Meanwhile, captain Martin Odegaard has missed the Gunners' last two matches against Newcastle United and Sevilla with an unspecified fitness issue, believed to be related to a recent hip concern.

The Norway international is in with a chance of turning out against Vincent Kompany's side, though, with Arteta adding: "He's still racing (against the clock). He's trying everything that he can so let's see. It's a possibility."

The Gunners boss did not provide an update on Eddie Nketiah's ankle concern, but he hinted that Gareth Southgate's decision to omit him from the latest England squad was not injury-related, saying: "Well I don't know the real reason. That's a question for Gareth.

"I know how important for him it is to be in the national team and how much he enjoys being there in the last few experiences. That's a decision that's not in my hands."

Top News

26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United and Real Madrid have seemingly been handed a significant boost in their hopes of landing AC Milan left-back Theo Hernandez, who is experiencing 'high tension' with head coach Paulo Fonseca. 26 December 2024 talksport.com Man City will attempt to arrest their calamitous slump in form when they face Everton on Boxing Day. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will not be 'waving the white flag' in the Premier League title race, but the Spaniard and his squad will look at the top-flight table with "a fair bit of regret". 26 December 2024 talksport.com Man City's under pressure stars slept at the club's training ground on Christmas Day as they look to turn around their worrying form. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly laid out their plan over how to approach for the upcoming January transfer window. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Nottingham Forest will be bidding to end a 29-year run when they play host to Tottenham Hotspur on Boxing Day. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United will have the chance to sign Victor Osimhen in January in a deal with Napoli that would see one of Rasmus Hojlund, Joshua Zirkzee or Marcus Rashford head in the opposite direction. 26 December 2024 talksport.com Chelsea will always be busy in a transfer window - it's a tale as old as time. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Both beaten by Serie A title contenders just before Christmas, Empoli and Genoa will meet for their final fixture of 2024 on Saturday afternoon. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aston Villa will be hoping to avoid equalling an 89-year streak when they square off against Newcastle United on Boxing Day. 26 December 2024 talksport.com Damian Lewis may be an award-winning actor - but Zinedine Zidane showed him levels when it came to a performing masterclass. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal face the prospect of losing out on Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams, who is reportedly on serious interest to Bayern Munich. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim believes the club are at one of their lowest moments in living memory, and the side face the prospect of entering 2025 in the bottom half of the Premier League. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Hearts vs. Hibernian (Thursday, 12.30pm) Two places separate Edinburgh rivals Hearts and Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership table heading into gameweek 19's Boxing Day derby at Tynecastle Park. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Man City vs. Everton (Thursday, 12.30pm) The first Premier League fixture after Christmas will see Everton make the short trip down the M62 to face champions Manchester City at the Etihad on Boxing Day. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The Boxing Day feast of Premier League football concludes at around 10pm at Anfield, where league leaders Liverpool will hope to be celebrating a 13th top-flight win of the season against Leicester City. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool will almost certainly win their Premier League match against Leicester City at Anfield on Boxing Day, according to Reds expert David Lynch. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ruben Amorim's Manchester United will look to return to winning ways when they travel to Molineux to face Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Boxing Day. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal fans should not expect Ethan Nwaneri to start Premier League matches week in week out in the wake of Bukayo Saka's injury, Gunners expert Charles Watts has warned. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea and Fulham and meet at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day in a second West London derby to be played at the stadium in the space of three weeks. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Looking to strengthen their unlikely push for a Champions League spot, Bournemouth will host Crystal Palace at the Vitality Stadium in the Premier League on Boxing Day. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Three years after being given the boot by Tottenham Hotspur, Nuno Espirito Santo reunites with his former employers again on Boxing Day, as Spurs head to the City Ground to meet Nottingham Forest. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Closing out the first round of post-Christmas Premier League fixtures, Arsenal and Ipswich Town engage in an Emirates battle on Friday evening. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two iconic north-west clubs meet in the Premier League on Boxing Day, looking to move further up the standings from where they currently are, when Manchester City welcome Everton to the Etihad. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aston Villa midfielder Emiliano Buendia may reportedly make the switch to Leeds United during the January transfer window. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk West Bromwich Albion have confirmed that Carlos Corberan has left the club to become the new manager of Valencia. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah could hit yet another new Premier League goalscoring milestone when the Reds host Leicester City in their Boxing Day battle at Anfield. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has lost captain Sam Morsy to suspension ahead of Friday's Premier League clash with Arsenal at the Emirates. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal temporarily begin life without Bukayo Saka when Ipswich Town arrive at the Emirates for Friday's Premier League showdown. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The curtain closes on the festive round of Premier League fixtures at the Emirates Stadium, where title outsiders Arsenal and relegation candidates Ipswich Town lock horns on Friday evening.