Mikel Arteta has acquired two new injury concerns ahead of Arsenal's Champions League meeting with Monaco on Wednesday evening, after Jurrien Timber and Thomas Partey missed training on Tuesday afternoon.
The Gunners boss is expected to name another patched back 4 for the crucial match at the Emirates as Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori and Oleksandr Zinchenko were also absent from training. Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are still absent with knee injuries.
And the injury crisis means Kieran Tierney could be in line for a shock recall, more than 16 months after his most recent appearance for the club. The Scottish full-back appeared as a substitute in the Community Shield against Manchester City on 6 August 2023, before being loaned out to Real Sociedad.
He has been on the bench at Arsenal in recent weeks and the latest injury concerns could mean a long-awaited return for the 27-year-old.
Arteta made a ninth different back four in Sunday's 1-1 draw against Fulham, with Partey coming in at right-back and Timber shifting to the left and will give his players every opportunity to prove their fitness.
“We have to manage a lot of players. Some of them won't be fit for tomorrow, some of them are still in doubt. We have 24 hours to make those decisions. Hopefully we make the right ones.”
“It is what it is. We have to accept the challenge and there are opportunities for other players. We have to accept reality and move forward.”
“I am very happy with how we are playing. I am happy with the way the team is adapting and players are trying their best to play in different positions.”
Asked if Tierney could get a chance, Arteta added: “He is ready, he is training very well and he will definitely get a chance. He certainly deserved it. He's willing to do it. And when that happens, we have to give it a chance.”
Arsenal are seventh in the table before the sixth round gets underway, but they are one of seven teams with ten points, including tomorrow night's opponents. Arteta's men will play Dinamo Zagreb at home in early January before closing out the competition in Girona.
Monaco are third in Ligue 1, five points behind Paris Saint-Germain, and come into this match thanks to a 2-0 win at home to Toulouse. But head coach Adi Hutter will have to do without a number of players for the visit to North London.
Central defenders Wilfried Singo and Christian Mawissa have both been ruled out due to suspension, while Mohammed Salisu and Thilo Kehrer will start in the middle of defence. And former Arsenal striker Flo Balogun will not face his old side due to a shoulder injury.
Comments