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Double Injury Boost For Arsenal Ahead Of Chelsea, Zurich, Clashes

Published

3 years ago

November 3, 2022

Injury Boost For Arsenal Ahead Of Chelsea, Zurich As Bukayo Saka and Oleksandr Zinchenko Returns

Arsenal has been handed a double injury boost after Bukayo Saka and Oleksandr Zinchenko were seen in training ahead of Thursday’s Europa League tie with FC Zurich also as the Gunners prepare to travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday with the aim of keeping their title bid alive.

Arsenal fans would have been eagerly waiting for news on the availability of Bukayo Saka after the Englishman limped off in the first half of the Gunners’ 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest, but Arteta was confident that the attacker had not sustained any serious damage.

Now, the Gunners have received a major boost after Saka was seen joining the team for training on Wednesday afternoon as Arteta’s side prepare for their Group A finale.

Bukayo Saka

As a result, Saka could be a part of the squad for tonight’s game and will seemingly be fine to take his place in the starting lineup for Sunday’s Premier League encounter with Chelsea.

The England international is unlikely to be risked from the off in Europe, though, with Nelson and Marquinhos both vying for starts as Arteta rings the changes.

Saka’s return was not the only fitness boost that Arsenal received at London Colney, as Zinchenko was back out on the grass as he battles his way back from a calf injury.

The 25-year-old has endured an injury-plagued start to life at the Emirates since arriving from Manchester City and has not played since the North London derby at the start of the month.

Zinchenko has missed Arsenal’s last eight games in all tournaments and has only played six matches for the club in total, with Takehiro Tomiyasu filling in at left-back in recent weeks.

However, the Ukraine international is now edging closer to a comeback, but Arteta will not be expected to risk him from the start against Zurich, with Kieran Tierney aiming to come back into the fray.

With Zinchenko and Saka now back in training alongside Mohamed Elneny – who has recovered from a hamstring injury much quicker than expected – only Emile Smith Rowe and Matt Turner could be absent for Arsenal this week.

Smith Rowe is unlikely to be back in training before December after undergoing groin surgery, while Turner was ruled out of last week’s defeat to PSV Eindhoven with an issue in the same area.

Aaron Ramsdale should therefore be given the nod in goal against Zurich, where Arsenal simply need to match or better PSV’s result against Bodo/Glimt to top the group and qualify for the last 16.