Bukayo Saka suffered an injury during the international break (Picture: Getty)
Mikel Arteta has provided updates on the fitness of Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League clash against Bournemouth.
The Gunners travel to the south coast on Saturday evening as the Premier League campaign resumes following the international break.
Arsenal, bidding to win the Premier League for the first time since 2004, have made a strong start to the 2024-25 campaign, taking 17 points from their opening seven games.
Bournemouth, meanwhile, are currently 13th on eight points. The Cherries suffered a disappointing defeat to newly-promoted Leicester City last time out.
There were fears Arsenal would be taking a depleted squad to Bournemouth after several players suffered injury scares or blows while on international duty.
Saka limped off in England’s dismal defeat to Greece at Wembley and then missed the Nations League game in Finland.
At the time, England interim boss Lee Carsley said: ‘Bukayo would have been close but it would have been unfair to take a risk with him. He’s a positive person and I expect him to be fine.’
Kai Havertz has been in superb form for the Gunners (Picture: Getty)
Havertz, meanwhile, was ruled out of Germany’s international games due to a ‘knee problem’.
The German Football Federation said: ‘Kai Havertz will miss the upcoming international matches against Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Netherlands due to knee problems.
‘National coach Julian Nagelsmann nominated Jonathan Burkardt in Havertz’s place. Get well soon, Kai! We look forward to seeing you, Jonathan!’
Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz injury updates
Discussing the fitness of Saka and Havertz at his pre-match press conference on Friday morning, Arteta said both had a ‘good chance’ of starting against Bournemouth despite their recent issues.
Asked for an update on Saka, Arteta said: ‘It’s not a serious injury. He’s evolving really well. He was maybe well enough to play in the second [England] game.
‘He’s done some stuff over the last few days. We are hopeful. We have training this afternoon so let’s see if he can make it on time.’
Mikel Arteta takes Arsenal to Bournemouth on Saturday (Picture: Getty)
On Havertz, Arteta added: ‘He had a few issues but we’re dealing with it. He’s been absolutely brilliant.
‘He has good communication with the national team manager. Again, if he trains well today he has a good chance to play tomorrow.’
Saka and Havertz have both been in superb form this season, the former making seven assists and the latter scoring four goals.
Arsenal fans have also been sweating over the fitness of Gabriel Martinelli, who was spotted wearing tape while training with Brazil during the international break.
The Gunners are still without captain Martin Odegaard (Picture: Getty)
‘Gabby only landed yesterday afternoon,’ Arteta said. ‘He went outside a bit to see how he’s feeling, today he will step up and we can see.
‘We have to decide if we want to take a risk because I know he will say he is okay.’
Despite the promising injury update, Arsenal will be without Martin Odegaard against Bournemouth, while Ben White, Jurrien Timber and Oleksandr Zinchenko look set to be absent.
‘He [Martin] is not going to be fit for this game,’ Arteta said. ‘Next week could be a different story.
‘He needs to clear some markers doing things with the ball in that latter stage of rehab. Next week will be crucial.’
On White, Timber and Zinchenko, Arteta added: ‘They are quite close, all three of them.
‘Today we’ll have to push. We are struggling a bit with the numbers, especially in our right side.’
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