Mikel Arteta addresses Arsenal injury worries after making six changes for Sporting CP stalemate
Mikel Arteta talked about the fitness of his team ahead of their upcoming Europa League match against Sporting CP, which will involve some significant changes.
In the first leg of the round of 16 tie played in Lisbon, Arsenal and Sporting played an exciting draw, with Arsenal taking the lead through William Saliba, but Sporting responded with goals from Goncalo Inacio and Paulinha.
Hidemasa Morita’s own goal finally resulted in a tie, and they will play again in the second leg at Emirates Stadium next Thursday.
Before the Europa League second leg match, Arsenal has another Premier League match against Fulham on Sunday, and they aim to maintain their lead at the top of the table.
However, there are concerns about the fitness of several Arsenal players, as Mikel Arteta made six changes to the starting line-up in their previous match against Sporting CP.
Arteta has explained the changes, but he kept the reasoning vague for now, saying: “We made six changes because we have a lot of issues in the last few days, with players missing – and some are not even here.”
Asked why Gabriel Magalhaes and Thomas Partey started on the bench, the Spaniard added: “At this club, you have to play every 3 days. You have to be fit and available to do it. If not, it’s not worth it.”
With only ten games remaining in the Premier League season, and the title race heating up, Arsenal fans are hoping for positive news regarding striker Gabriel Jesus, who has been out of action due to an injury sustained during the World Cup. However, at present, the Gunners are taking a cautious approach and prioritizing safety.
Asked about the Brazilian recently, Arteta said: “We will try not to rush him back. Everything is going well, he needs time to get his confidence and physical state to compete.”
Mikel Arteta addresses Arsenal injury worries after making six changes for Sporting CP stalemate