Mikel Arteta provides triple Arsenal injury update ahead of Sunderland clash | OneFootball

Arsenal Injury Update: Ben White Fit, Jurrien Timber Close for Sunderland Clash

Arsenal head to Sunderland with one concern eased and two more moving in the right direction. Ben White is fit, Jurrien Timber is edging closer and Cristhian Mosquera could also return soon. For Mikel Arteta, that matters, because the defensive rotation has already been tested early in the season.

White looked uncomfortable late in the 1-0 win over Napoli in midweek. He went off, Martin Zubimendi came on and Declan Rice ended the night at right-back. It raised an obvious question ahead of the trip to the Stadium of Light. The answer was short and clear. “He’s fine,” Arteta said.

That is the main headline. White’s availability gives Arsenal stability in a position where they have already had to improvise more than they would have wanted.

Ben White Boost for Arsenal

White missed the end of last season with a knee ligament injury, a problem serious enough to cost him World Cup involvement. So any sign of discomfort gets noticed. This time, Arsenal appear to have avoided a bigger issue.

That is important for more than one reason. White gives Arsenal balance on the right, knows the system and allows Arteta to keep the rest of the back line where it should be. If he had been ruled out, it would have meant another reshuffle before a difficult away game.

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Jurrien Timber Return Nears

Timber is the more interesting case. He has barely played since suffering a groin injury in the win over Everton in March. His only Arsenal appearance after that came in a substitute role during the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain, where he looked sharp in a brief cameo.

Since then, there has been another setback over the summer, which kept him out of the Netherlands squad for the World Cup. Now, at last, there is movement. He has trained for several days and travelled with the squad to Naples, even if he did not feature.

Arteta’s update was cautious, which is exactly what you would expect. “Let’s see, we have another training session [on Friday]. He’s been doing really well, he’s training with us for a few days and he looks in good shape.”

Cristhian Mosquera and William Saliba Latest

Mosquera is also close. The Spain international started the campaign alongside Gabriel when William Saliba was unavailable, then picked up a muscle issue in the 1-0 win over Aston Villa. He missed the games against Chelsea and Napoli, with £55 million signing Ezri Konsa stepping in and doing well.

On Mosquera, Arteta said: “He’s doing really well. Let’s see if he can get this game or the next one. It will be around that time I think.”

There is less encouragement on Saliba. No fresh update was offered, and the France defender remains some distance from a return after aggravating a back injury on World Cup duty.

One small positive elsewhere, Bruno Guimaraes was back on the pitch in Naples after his own knock at Villa. Arsenal need bodies back. They may be about to get a few.