Gabriel Martinelli will miss the remaining games, while Mikel Arteta ruled Oleksandr Zinchenko and William Saliba out for the season for Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta will lead Arsenal for their last away game of the season against Nottingham Forest on Saturday. The Gunners will aim at ending the campaign as the division’s best side on the road. But they have a tricky situation against Steve Cooper’s men.
Injury updates were one of the key subjects of Arteta’s pre-match press conference. There were plenty of questions and curiosity to know further about the status of Gabriel Martinelli, who has been missing after sustaining an ankle injury against Brighton & Hove Albion, and Oleksandr Zinchenko.
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Arteta confirmed that the duo and William Saliba will not play the remaining games left this season. On his players, he said, “They are both out for the rest of the season. It’s different. Gabi’s is a pretty nasty injury. We need to assess next week how long he will be out for, but it will be weeks at least. With Alex, it’s a calf issue. He won’t be available to play in the next few games.”
As for the team news, despite the loss to Brighton last weekend at the Emirates, there may not be many changes. Arteta will only make minor changes, with only Leandro Trossard coming in for the injured Martinelli.
In goal, he will have Aaron Ramsdale, fresh from signing a new contact. On that new deal, Arteta said, “We are delighted with the news for Aaron. He fully deserves that new contract, that extension, and obviously, we want to keep our talent at the club and build on that. There are a few more that are very relevant for us to continue with that relationship and we are working on that.”
Ramsdale will have a familiar back four ahead of him. Jakub Kiwior will continue deputising for Saliba in the orthodox right centre-back role and partner Gabriel Magalhaes at the back. Ben White will assume his right-back role, while Kieran Tierney will continue playing left-back.
Jorginho could continue at the base of midfield, with Martin Odegaard and Granit Xhaka on either side. The front three will comprise Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Trossard. So Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith Rowe will be options on the bench.
Predicted Arsenal XI: Ramsdale; Ben White, Kiwior, Gabriel, Tierney; Odegaard, Jorginho, Xhaka; Saka, Jesus, Trossard