On Saturday, Arsenal FC will have to do without Riccardo Calafiori and Martin Ödegaard when they play at Newcastle – but the latter is on the verge of a comeback. There is also good news regarding another player.
Martin Ödegaard has not played in a Premier League game for Arsenal since the third matchday, which was at the end of August. The 25-year-old then suffered an ankle injury in an international match with Norway and missed the Gunners’ next eleven competitive games. Number twelve will follow on Saturday – but head coach Mikel Arteta has now raised hopes of an early return.
At his pre-match press conference ahead of the trip to Newcastle United on Saturday, Arteta first announced the absences of Ödegaard and Riccardo Calafiori (knee injury), who will “definitely” be missing at St. James’ Park. Next Wednesday, the team will travel to Inter Milan for the Champions League (9pm CET). Perhaps with the captain on board again?
“Now is the phase in which he is doing certain workouts again. We have to see how he deals with pain, whether his movements are fluid enough again and whether he is physically at the level it takes,” explained the Spaniard. Arteta was unwilling to say exactly when Ödegaard would be ready to return to action. “The way he’s working, I’d be surprised if we didn’t say ‘he’s ready’ the minute he comes back to training with us. Hopefully that will be soon.”
Gabriel back for Newcastle
He does not expect Takehiro Tomiyasu, who has only been able to play one game this season so far, back any time soon, probably not before the international break in mid-November. The coach is still unsure about Ben White, who was absent from the League Cup game (3-0 win at Preston North End) during the week with an unspecified injury. “He has not been able to train yet. We’ll have to wait and see.”
Arteta had much better news regarding Gabriel. The 26-year-old defender limped off during the 2-2 draw with Liverpool last weekend and was subsequently ruled out with a knee injury. However, he is expected to be fit to face Newcastle. ”We have a training session today. If he completes it, he’ll be available. He hasn’t trained yet but if there are no problems today, he’ll be in the squad.”
