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Team news: Arsenal boss confirms huge injury boost but 6 players out of FA Cup clash

By on June 26, 2020

kieran tierney arsenal

Mikel Arteta has eased concerns over the fitness of Kieran Tierney but six players will still miss Arsenal’s FA Cup clash with Sheffield United on Sunday.

Tierney was recalled to the starting eleven against Southampton on Thursday evening and was having a solid game until he went down clutching his leg midway through the second half. The Scottish international required treatment from the Arsenal physio before hobbling off to be replaced by Sead Kolasinac.

It looked like the Arsenal injury curse may have struck again, however, Arteta gave reporters a positive update after confirming Tierney was only suffering from cramp so the left-back isn’t facing any time on the sidelines – which is a huge boost.

Tierney has endured a tough time with injuries since joining Arsenal and, as Arteta pointed out, he hasn’t played consecutive games for several months so it’s no wonder he cramped up in the heat last night.

Arteta told Arsenal.com:

“Kieran was cramping. He hasn’t played two games together in the last seven or eight months and he was suffering. The weather is different to Scotland and he needs to adapt to it.

So it’s a relief over Tierney’s fitness, however, Arsenal still have a number of other injury concerns to deal with ahead of the Sheffield United game with at least six players set to miss the trip to Bramall Lane.

Bernd Leno has been ruled out for at least a month with a knee injury that he picked up against Brighton last weekend while Pablo Mari is going to be out for up to three months with an ankle ligament injury.

Gabriel Martinelli is also facing a spell on the sidelines after suffering a knee injury in training while Lucas Torreira is still a couple of weeks away from returning from an ankle injury that he sustained back in January.

Cedric Soares is also still overcoming nose surgery and Calum Chambers won’t be available for months as he continues to recover from a serious knee injury so Arsenal have plenty of absentees this weekend.

The good news, if you can call it that, is David Luiz will be available on Sunday after serving his suspension while Granit Xhaka made a successful return from an ankle problem against Southampton. Sokratis was also back among the subs last night after recovering from a thigh injury so we have got a few players back recently.

The club should issue a full team news update later today so let’s hope there isn’t any bad news on Bukayo Saka as he took a heavy kick to his ankle against Southampton last night.