Injury concerns to key players dent Arsenal’s hopes of beating Man Utd

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Arsenal could be without a number of key players for our crucial Premier League showdown with Manchester United at the weekend.

The Gunners welcome United to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday evening and Mikel Arteta will be hoping to continue our recent good form with another win to get us back in the race for European qualification. Arsenal have taken 16 points from the last 18 available in the league and should be in confident mood heading into the weekend action after beating Southampton 3-1 at St Mary’s on Tuesday night.

However, our chances of beating United have been dented as several key players could miss the game and the news has seen Arsenal’s odds drift in the betting markets. If you bet at an  online casino au you may find Arsenal priced at around 15/8 to win the game on Saturday with United priced as the 6/4 favourites.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has missed the last two matches to be with his family after his mother fell ill. The striker is back in London but Mikel Arteta isn’t sure if he’ll be available to face United.

Kieran Tierney has also missed Arsenal’s last two games with a muscle issue and he’ll need to be assessed before his availability is determined while Thomas Partey and Emile Smith Rowe also face late fitness checks after picking up knocks against Southampton on Tuesday.

Dani Ceballos and Pablo Mari are expected to resume training soon after calf injuries but it remains to be seen whether they’ll be available on Saturday while new signing Martin Odegaard is unlikely to start having only joined the club on Wednesday.

Arteta told Arsenal.com:

on the latest team news…
I don’t know, we had a day off yesterday. We will be training today and will see how everybody is. I think Dani Ceballos will be training with the squad in the next few days, Pablo Mari probably as well. Obviously Martin Odegaard will be joining us as well and for the rest we have to see how Kieran is. I think that’s it.

on whether he [Odegaard] could start on Saturday…
It’s a little bit early to decide. Let’s see how he goes in training and we will see, don’t worry.

on Smith Rowe and Partey’s fitness…
I don’t know, let’s see how they come today. They had some discomforts in different parts, Thomas and Emile, and we will have to see how they evolve. We still have some days until the game but not long so let’s see how they recover.

on whether Aubameyang could return at the weekend…
I don’t know. I spoke with him yesterday and things are looking better at the moment but we’re going to have to wait and see.

on whether Auba had to go abroad or if he stayed in the UK…
He had to support his family and he had to be with them.

on if there could be quarantining issues…
I don’t know what will happen.

With so much uncertainty surrounding a number of key players, it’s difficult to predict how this game will go. The good news is most of the injuries appear to be minor so several of the fitness doubts could be able to play.

If you’re going to bet on Arsenal to win at one of the best uk real money online casinos then it’s probably sensible to get your bet on early as the odds will change dramatically if the likes of Aubameyang, Tierney and Partey are passed fit to play.

Partey and Smith Rowe looked like they limped off with cramp in midweek so I think they’ll be fit to face Man Utd while Tierney’s muscle issue doesn’t sound serious either so he could return at left-back.

Aubameyang’s situation is unknown as we don’t know what his state of mind is given his mother is ill, plus he may have to quarantine, so his availability this weekend looks less likely and he’ll be a big miss for Arsenal.

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