Arsenal handed boost as Arteta reveals Saka, Timber return date
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Bukayo Saka and Jurriën Timber will miss the UEFA Champions League clash against Sporting CP on Tuesday due to injury setbacks.
Saka, who was absent from England national football team duty during the international break, also missed Arsenal’s recent FA Cup defeat to Southampton at St. Mary’s Stadium.
The winger had withdrawn from the England squad alongside Declan Rice and Noni Madueke to undergo medical assessment at the club.
Timber, meanwhile, was also unavailable for the Netherlands national football team during their international friendlies against Norway and Ecuador as he continues to recover from an ankle injury.
Despite the international break offering time for recovery, Arteta admitted both players are not yet fit enough to feature in Lisbon.
The Arsenal manager, however, expressed optimism that the duo could return for their Premier League fixture against Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium.
“They are not ready yet,” Arteta said during his press conference. “Let’s see hopefully they are going to be ready for the weekend. If everything goes well.”
The former Everton midfielder described their potential comeback as a timely boost amid a growing injury list.
“That’s a massive boost because in recent days we lost so many important players and that’s something that we need to change immediately,” he added.
There was more encouraging news for the North London side, with Arteta confirming that Gabriel Magalhães, Rice, and Leandro Trossard are all back in contention for the trip to the Estádio José Alvalade.
Arsenal head into the European tie under pressure following a disappointing run in domestic cup competitions.
The Gunners fell short in the Carabao Cup final, losing 2-0 to Manchester City at Wembley Stadium, before suffering a shock 2-1 defeat to Southampton in the FA Cup, results that ended their hopes of securing a quadruple this season.
With the campaign entering a decisive phase, Arteta will be eager for a strong response in Portugal as Arsenal look to halt their run of consecutive defeats and revive momentum in Europe.
The post Arsenal handed boost as Arteta reveals Saka, Timber return date first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.