‘There’s a chance’ – Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta teases two returns from injury amid ‘tough to take’ crisis
Arsenal were left cursing their luck when both Jurrien Timber and Gabriel hobbled out of the midweek win over Fulham in the opening 45 minutes, with Mikel Arteta calling the latter’s injury “tough to take”.
However, the Gunners boss also admitted “there’s a chance” he could call upon the two key players for Saturday’s trip to Goodison Park.
The one-man wrecking ball from Brazil left the field after just 17 minutes of play on Tuesday, uncharacteristically staying down while clutching at the back of his leg.
Arteta would later confirm that Arsenal’s number six will need to undergo hamstring surgery, which means he will miss the remainder of this Premier League season.
On the injury, he said: “It was a tough one to digest because we just got Bukayo back, and then we lost Gabi.
“So it was tough, but the team reacted like it has reacted all season. I’m really proud of that, and we know that he’s going to be out for a while, so we need to find different solutions and keep competing the way we have been all season.”
Adding insult to injury, for want of a better expression, Timber collapsed in a heap in the second half and was soon replaced by Leandro Trossard as Arteta reshuffled his backline.
The Dutchman received treatment for a knee complaint in the first half but managed to soldier on until the 77th minute, risking doing further damage in the process.
Luckily, his prognosis was nowhere near as serious, with Arteta revealing in Friday’s press conference that he may recover in time for Saturday’s match.
“Let’s see how Ben and Jurrien are tomorrow, and that’s it – we must keep playing and competing the way we have been.”
When pressed if he was suggesting White and Timber may play a part, he responded: “Yes, there’s a chance.”
White was an unexpected omission from Arsenal’s latest squad, sparking fear among supporters at a growing injury crisis which had already claimed Ricardo Calafiori during the international break.
But the former England international was rested purely as a precaution to avoid aggravating a “niggle” he felt the days prior.
His return would be most welcome, considering Arsenal will also be without their Italian international for an extended period.
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Arteta also fielded several questions about the extent of Arsenal’s injury crisis and if they’ve been drawn the short straw compared to their Premier League rivals.
“No, I don’t think it’s specific to Arsenal, and it’s a very difficult one to put a finger on just one motive that has caused that injury because we have had four, and the four of them are completely different,” he said.
The Spaniard will be hoping to have as many fit bodies in the building as possible for what’s starting to look like a fruitless pursuit of champions in waiting Liverpool.
