Mikel Arteta delivers mixed injury updates on three Arsenal players

Ahead of Arsenal’s upcoming game against Burnley in the Premier League, Mikel Arteta gave updates on three key players.

Mikel Arteta will make a late call on Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard’s availability for the Saturday game against Burnley.

Saka limped off in the 2-0 Champions League win over Sevilla on Wednesday. The winger is battling some niggles that have troubled him over the season. His fitness remains touch and go, with Arteta uncertain on whether he’ll be able to face Burnley.

“B [Saka] didn’t train yesterday. Let’s see if he can make it tomorrow,” the Arsenal manager said at a press conference on Friday.

Odegaard, on the other hand, has missed three of Arsenal’s past four matches. The captain is in the Norway squad for the international break, but Arteta plans to give him another 24 hours to prove his fitness for this weekend.

“[He is] still racing,” the Spaniard said. “He is trying everything that he can. Let’s see. It’s a possibility.”

Arteta also confirmed that Jurien Timber and Thomas Partey are out of the Burnley match, while Emile Smith Rowe is unlikely to feature.

That said, Partey, who hasn’t played for Arsenal since the 1-0 win over Manchester City on October 8, has made progress.

“He’s progressing really well,’ Arteta said of the 30-year-old midfielder. “I said hopefully it will be weeks not months.”