Mikel Arteta has provided an update on injured Arsenal duo Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka, with Gunners coaches holding a meeting with medical staff on Thursday.
Arsenal were held 0-0 by Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night meaning it is now two consecutive games in which the north Londoners have failed to score. Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino had chances to find the net but, in truth, Matz Sels had little to do. After Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Newcastle, the Reds are now 13 points ahead of the Gunners.
Saka has been missing since December while Martinelli has been out since the League Cup loss to Newcastle earlier this month, with the duo both nursing hamstring injuries. Arteta was asked about the pair after the Nottingham Forest draw, with the Spaniard confirming it is unlikely the duo will be back before the international break next month.
Asked if they may be available for selection for the game after the break – a Premier League clash at Emirates Stadium against Fulham on April 1 – Arteta said: “I think so [that is more realistic], but again, let’s see how they evolve in the next few weeks to make the right steps as well. And then after that, they’ve been out for a long, long time, so we’re going to have to integrate them as well, probably gradually. So they’re evolving well, but they’re still a bit far.”
Does that mean Arteta is not keen on rushing both Martinelli and Saka back? “No, we have a meeting tomorrow to discuss where they are, especially Gabi,” the Arsenal boss said. “That has probably a chance before Bukayo to come in, but how soon that is, we’ll have to see how it goes in the next week or ten days.”
With Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes all but over, everyone associated with the club will be hoping they can get past PSV in the Champions League round of 16. If they do, Arteta’s side will play one of Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid.
The quarter-final ties will be played on April 8/9 and April 15/16 and it’s possible, judging by Arteta’s quotes, that both Saka and Martinelli will be available for selection by then. With the Gunners lacking a creative spark at present, Saka and Martinelli’s return cannot come soon enough.
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