Mikel Arteta has provided a triple fitness update ahead of Arsenal’s match against Aston Villa, revealing that Ezri Konsa will be available against his old club.
Arsenal play the second game of their Premier League campaign away to Aston Villa on Monday night, but there have been question marks through the week about which players might be available for the match.
Summer signing Bruno Guimaraes missed the last game through a minor injury, and Mikel Arteta has now confirmed the midfielder has a chance to make the squad against Villa.
“We just managed the last few days with him,” Arteta said. “He’s out on the pitch, he’s been in training sessions. But we need to manage the load to get to Monday in the best possible condition to be available to be selected. He’s potentially available.”
Then there’s Ezri Konsa, who only very recently joined from Villa and is yet to make his Arsenal debut. Arteta has confirmed the player is ready to make that debut against his former club, if selected.
“He’s available,” Arteta revealed. “He’s trained really well and he will be available for selection.”
One player who won’t be available is Jurrien Timber, but Arteta has suggested the right-back is getting closer and closer to a comeback.
“He’s progressing really well,” Arteta explained. “Let’s see how it ends up this week, it’s the third week in a row that he’s been outside and we have increased his load.
“He’s on the right trajectory, if everything goes well I think next week he can step it up again.”
Arsenal will also be without William Saliba, who isn’t expected to return from his back injury for a while yet. That was part of the motivation for signing Konsa, who can hopefully fill in over the coming months.
But if Konsa and Guimaraes are both passed fit to face Villa, Timber and Saliba should be the only injury absentees.
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