Mikel Arteta provides Jurrien Timber and Martin Odegaard injury updates | Football
Mikel Arteta has provided mixed news on the injury front ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League last 16 second leg clash against Bayer Leverkusen.
The tie is evenly poised after last week’s reverse fixture when a controversial, late Kai Havertz penalty earned the Gunners a 1-1 draw.
The Bundesliga side were largely written off given their patchy domestic form and with Arsenal boasting a 100% record in the competition this, Arteta’s side were expected to progress without too many complications.
Instead, Arsenal struggled to create goalscoring opportunities until Noni Madueke received the benefit of the doubt to earn a late spot kick.
Tomorrow night’s task, meanwhile, has been rendered even trickier following the injury sustained by JurrienTimber in Saturday’s morale-boosting 2-0 win against Everton.
The Netherlands international is out of the second leg, along with skipper Martin Odegaard, and both players will be monitored ahead of Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.
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‘With [Jurrien Timber’s injury] it will be a matter of days, so I’m not sure [on his availability],’ said the Arsenal boss in his pre-match press conference.
‘We need everybody available. We know what [Ben White] gives us. He trained today, so he is good.
‘We need everybody’s contribution.’
On the condition of club captain Odegaard, who has missed the last five matches, he added: ‘Yeah. He really wants to be available, but we will have to see in the next few days when he trains, how he feels.
‘The more players we have, the better.’
Most of the post match focus following the dramatic late win over the Toffees has centered on history making 16-year-old Max Dowman.
The precocious teenage forward became the youngest goalscorer in Arsenal’s history shortly after he created the chance from which Viktor Gyokeres broke the deadlock.
‘The most important one is his family, he’s in a very good place there as well,’ said Arteta when asked how Dowman will cope with the newfound fame and expectancy.
‘He is used to a lot of things, he takes it normally and knows what the sport is about.’
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Mikel Arteta provides Jurrien Timber and Martin Odegaard injury updates | Football
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