By Betsefy
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has admitted that both Aaron Ramsdale and Martin Odegaard are injury doubts for Sunday’s Premier League contest with Manchester United.
The duo have been ever-presents in the Gunners XI during their perfect start to the new Premier League season but were both casualties of the 2-1 win over Aston Villa on Wednesday.
In the latter stages of the contest, Ramsdale briefly went down to the turf clutching his thigh, although he was able to complete the full 90 minutes before receiving further treatment.
Meanwhile, Odegaard was the victim of a crunching tackle from John McGinn at the Emirates and was forced off in the second half, and the Gunners captain was then seen with strapping around his ankle.
Arsenal will aim to make it six wins from six in the 2022-23 Premier League season against Man United, but Arteta cannot guarantee that Ramsdale and Odegaard will both be available.
© Reuters
Furthermore, Oleksandr Zinchenko – who has missed the Gunners’ last two wins with a knee injury – is seemingly guaranteed to miss out as he waits to return to team training.
“Those two [Odegaard and Ramsdale] have been assessed, we will see more tomorrow. Hopefully they will be available to train with the team,” Arteta told reporters at his pre-game press conference.
“Unfortunately with Alex that is still not the case. He missed two games and he still hasn’t been able to train with the team yet. That’s the situation we have.”
USA international Matt Turner is waiting in the wings to make his competitive Arsenal debut should Ramsdale be rendered unavailable, while Emile Smith Rowe or Fabio Vieira could deputise for Odegaard if needed.
The Gunners boss also issued updates on midfield duo Mohamed Elneny and Thomas Partey, both of whom are facing spells on the sidelines with severe thigh injuries.
© Reuters
Elneny – who signed a one-year extension at Arsenal in the summer – could be out until the New Year with his issue, which he sustained in the 2-1 win over Fulham back in August.
However, Arteta does not expect Partey to share his teammate’s fate, adding: “With Mo it’s a little bit easier, we are talking months. With Thomas, hopefully we are talking weeks and maybe even shorter than that.”
Arsenal attempted to negate their midfield absences on transfer deadline day by moving for Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz, who has entered the final year of his contract with the Lions.
However, the Gunners supposedly saw as many as three bids rejected by Villa – the highest of which was in the region of £25m – and the Brazil international will stay put at Villa Park for the next few months at least.
Instead, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Granit Xhaka could pair up in the middle when Arsenal meet Man United, and three points would see the North London club begin a top-flight season with six successive wins for the first time in 75 years.
