Arsenal handed major injury boost ahead of Man City showdown | OneFootball

Some good news for Mikel Arteta ahead of a huge week for the Gunners

Your matchday briefing on Arsenal, featuring team news and expert analysis from Simon Collings

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Arsenal have been boosted by some good news at the start of a big week.

The Gunners kick-off their Champions League campaign against Athletic Bilbao in Spain on Tuesday and then face Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

There was a welcome sight for Mikel Arteta ahead of that huge Premier League showdown as the Arsenal squad trained at London Colney on Monday.

One key player appears to winning his race to be fit to face Manchester City.

William Saliba during a training session at the Sobha Realty Training Centre, London.

Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

William Saliba returned to training last week but missed Saturday’s 3-0 win against Nottingham Forest with the ankle injury he suffered at Liverpool last month.

Arteta said at the weekend that Saliba “needed a few more days” and that the turnaround “had been too quick” to play in the Forest game.

But Saliba trained the Arsenal squad at London Colney on Monday and Arsenal will hope he will be ready to make a comeback this week.

Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli, Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Magalhaes during training

Action Images via Reuters

His return would be a major boost for the Arsenal defence as they prepare for another battle with Erling Haaland, who scored in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Manchester United and already has 11 goals in five appearances for club and country this season.

Martin Odegaard did not train with the Arsenal squad on Monday after he was forced off in the Forest win with another shoulder injury.

Arteta will provide an update on Odegaard’s fitness when he holds his pre-match press conference in Bilbao on Monday evening.

Christian Norgaard also trained and could be in the squad against Athletic Bilbao.