Evening Standard
·1 de noviembre de 2024
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·1 de noviembre de 2024
Gunners are sweating on Ben White’s fitness before lunchtime trip to St James’ Park
Arsenal will hope to welcome back Gabriel for their Premier League trip to Newcastle on Saturday.
The Brazilian defender injured his knee during last week’s draw with Liverpool and missed Wednesday’s win at Preston in the Carabao Cup.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, however, is hoping that Gabriel can train on Friday and be ready for the game at Newcastle.
“We have a training session today,” he said on Friday. “If he’s able to complete that he will be available. He hasn’t had any training sessions yet but if he can do that today he will be available in the squad.”
Ben White is a doubt for the game at St James’ Park with a joint issue. He played the full 90 minutes against Liverpool, but was absent from the squad for the win at Preston three days later.
“With Ben, we don’t know yet,” Arteta said. “He hasn’t trained yet. He could not train, he could not get involved so let’s see what happens.”
Martin Odegaard (ankle) and Riccardo Calafiori (knee) will both miss the trip to Newcastle, as will Kieran Tierney (hamstring) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee).
Quick recovery: Gabriel should make a swift return from injury when Arsenal face Newcastle in the Premier League
AP
“Ricci and Martin are out definitely,” said Arteta. “Now is the stage he (Odegaard) is going to start doing certain work with us and just see how he deals with pain, if he is moving naturally enough and if he is physically at the level required to compete.
“But with the work rate and the hours he has put in I would be surprised if the moment he starts training with us we don’t say he is ready, so hopefully soon.”
Arteta made eight changes for the win at Preston and on Tyneside is likely to revert back to a team similar to the one that drew with Liverpool.
Thomas Partey may have to play at right-back again if White is not able to prove his fitness in time. William Saliba will return to the defence after serving his suspension last week. He started and played 90 minutes in the win at Preston.
Predicted Arsenal XI (4-4-2): Raya; Partey, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber; Saka, Rice, Merino, Martinelli; Havertz, Trossard
Saturday 12.30pm GMT, TNT Sports
Venue: St. James’ Park
Referee: John Brooks
Arsenal squad from: Neto, Raya, Setford; Gabriel, Heaven, Kiwior, Saliba, Timber, Zinchenko; Havertz, Jorginho, Lewis-Skelly, Merino, Nwaneri, Partey, Rice; Jesus, Martinelli, Saka, Sterling and Trossard
Doubts: Gabriel (knee), White (joint issue)
Injured: Calafiori (knee), Odegaard (ankle), Tierney (hamstring), Tomiyasu (knee)