Mikel Arteta has provided a fresh fitness update on several key Arsenal players as the squad prepares for a difficult trip to Aston Villa.
Declan Rice was withdrawn late against Brentford, and he remains a doubt. Also, Leandro Trossard and William Saliba have both missed the last two fixtures through injury.
At his pre-match press conference, Arteta stressed that the next few hours would be crucial in determining availability. He said:
“Well, let’s see. We have another training session in the afternoon. Every hour is going to be very important to see the availability of the players. After that, we’ll decide which ones.”
Also, on Saliba and Trossard, he added:
“It is a matter of days with those two, for sure. After the training session, we’ll know more.”
Cristhian Mosquera, who came off against Brentford, is dealing with an ankle problem. Arteta admitted:
“That’s the more complicated one, but again, we have another test today to see where we are with them.
“We need to know, because the feeling that we had after the game and yesterday, we need to corroborate with what happens with all the testing that we do today.”
With Arsenal playing Brentford on Wednesday and travelling to Villa Park for a 12.30 kick-off on Saturday, Arteta reiterated concerns over scheduling. The Arsenal manager said:
“The only thing I can say is that whenever it’s possible to help and give the players an extra day or hours to fulfil the maximum potential, let’s do it.
“That’s it. We are ready for tomorrow’s game, that’s for sure.”
So, Mikel Arteta will be looking to ensure three points at Villa Park and extend the lead at the top of the Premier League by eight points.
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