Mikel Arteta has been hit with a growing number of injuries in recent weeks, but the Arsenal manager has received significant reinforcements in time for several important games.
Mikel Arteta has received significant reinforcements due to injury (Image: David Price, Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Eberechi Eze has made a welcome return to Arsenal training, giving the Gunners a huge boost. There were growing concerns that the midfielder, a summer signing from Crystal Palace, faced a long spell on the sidelines.
There was speculation that Eze could be sidelined for up to six weeks after picking up a calf problem just before the international break. However, a live stream of Thursday’s training session, streamed via the club’s official app, showed Eze fully participating alongside his teammates.
It remains to be seen whether he will be fit enough to play in Arsenal’s Premier League home match against AFC Bournemouth this weekend. Nevertheless, his return to training suggests he could be available for next week’s important away trip to Manchester City.
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Since Eze’s injury, the Gunners have lacked goals and clear chances, particularly in the FA Cup defeat to Southampton. Arsenal struggled to overcome Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League as well, but a pinpoint pass from Gabriel Martinelli to Kai Havertz proved the difference as Arsenal defeated the Portuguese 1-0 in the first leg of the quarter-finals.
However, there was one worrying setback against Sporting as Martin Odegaard was sent off mid-game with an injury. The captain was one of the many players absent from today’s training.
Alongside Odegaard. Bukayo Saka, Julian Timber, Riccardo Calafioli and Piero Hincapie also missed training that day. Calafioli played the full 90 minutes against Sporting, but Football London reports that the Italian missed the session purely for the purpose of rest and recovery.
Eze’s early return means a lot to Arsenal (Image: 2026 DeFodi Images)
Meanwhile, Saka has been sidelined for Arsenal since the League Cup final, while Hincapie reportedly faces being sidelined after sustaining a hamstring injury during the international break. These are all concerns that Arteta will have to address as the Gunners enter the final seven games of their Premier League campaign.
The Spaniard will be at least a little rejuvenated after his side bounced back from a surprise loss to City in the League Cup final and exit to Southampton in the FA Cup with a 1-0 win away at Sporting. Speaking after the match, the Gunners manager said: “Obviously, we’re very happy.
“It was a great night and a big moment of the season, especially where we came from. I think we had a point to prove. And yesterday I talked about identity and what we wanted to see on that pitch, and that certainly happened.”
“Certainly, there was a change there. And we played against an opponent that was very tricky, very difficult to play. That’s why they won 17 straight here. They hadn’t lost in a long time and really needed to get a win.”
“We didn’t create enough of a threat at times and had moments in and around the box where we really dominated in a lot of situations. We were a little bit lackluster, a little sharp in our movement, we had some final balls. But we took the game where we wanted it.”
“But after saying that, we also knew that this team was very dangerous when they had space to run. And there were a couple of situations where David (Raya) had to step in in a great way. And, again, the story of the season, the end comes when the most important part of the game is about to happen, and then make the difference for us to go win.”
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