The latest Arsenal injury news ahead of the Gunners facing Crystal Palace on Saturday in the Premier League, as Mikel Arteta shares an update on Jurrien Timber’s recovery.
Top-flight football will be back at Emirates Stadium for the first time in 2024 when the Eagles head up from south London. Arsenal have not played a Premier League contest on home soil since the loss to West Ham United in December. Liverpool also won at Arsenal in the FA Cup.
Their winter break then came at the ideal time for Arsenal with Arteta only claiming one win in their last seven games in all competitions. They also jetted to Dubai for a warm-weather mini-camp on a run of three-straight defeats. Arsenal are without a win in four fixtures, too.
Arsenal injury list ahead of hosting Crystal Palace
Arteta was also without Gabriel Jesus for their FA Cup third-round exit to Liverpool after the striker developed an injury. Arsenal will now hope to welcome Jesus back at home to Crystal Palace. The Gunners sit just fourth in the table and also trail leaders Liverpool by five points.
The treatment room at London Colney also remains a hive of activity, even though Takehiro Tomiyasu recovered from a calf injury to represent Japan at the Asia Cup. Mohamed Elneny is also away from Arsenal currently whilst he represents Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Arsenal’s confirmed injury list could also grow before hosting Crystal Palace with Jorginho a potential concern. The Gunners have sparked fears over his fitness after the midfielder was not featured in a video the north London giants released from their training camp in Dubai.
Jorginho has also not played in the Premier League since Arsenal beat Wolves on December 2. He has spent five of their past six fixtures on the bench after missing their win at home to Brighton due to a foot issue. So, with that in mind, here is Arsenal’s current injury situation…
Gabriel Jesus injury latest
Jesus missed Arsenal’s defeat at home to Liverpool in the FA Cup after feeling discomfort in his knee but is in line to return against Crystal Palace. The 26-year-old reported he felt pain in the same knee which the Brazilian originally injured at the World Cup in December 2022.
The forward suffered medial collateral ligament damage in Qatar which saw Jesus undergo surgery. He did not return until March 2023 and also required a minor operation in August after feeling discomfort. Arsenal do not feel Jesus needs yet further surgery for the injury.
Expected return: Crystal Palace (January 20)
Oleksandr Zinchenko injury latest
Arsenal are facing a further fixture without Oleksandr Zinchenko against Crystal Palace with the left-back nursing a calf injury. It has sidelined the 27-year-old across the Gunners’ recent defeats to Fulham and Liverpool. Jakub Kiwior will likely have to start in the Ukrainian’s void.
Zinchenko has worked hard through Arsenal’s winter break in an attempt to recover in time for Crystal Palace’s visit. But he looks likely to fall short in the defender’s quest to overcome the injury. Zinchenko also struggled with a calf injury through Arsenal’s pre-season last year.
Expected return: Nottingham Forest (January 30)
Thomas Partey injury latest
Arsenal and Ghana agreed that Thomas Partey would stay at London Colney as he recovers from a thigh injury instead of appearing at AFCON. Arteta may now welcome the midfielder back into his squad soon, too. The 30-year-old has not featured for a second since October.
Partey sustained his problem during training and required a minor procedure to resolve the injury. Arsenal, Ghana and the anchor all hoped the operation would allow him to return at the turn of the year. But Partey is now more likely to make his return at the end of January.
Expected return: Nottingham Forest (January 30)
Fabio Vieira injury latest
The visit of Crystal Palace to Emirates Stadium will mark yet another one of Arsenal’s games that Fabio Vieira misses through injury. He has not featured since the Gunners met Burnley on November 11. The midfielder also received a red card as a substitute during the 3-1 win.
Vieira sustained his injury whilst training at London Colney during his suspension. The issue also forced the Gunners to send the playmaker for surgery. And while he was able to carry out light training in Dubai, Vieira is unlikely to play under Arteta for a few more weeks yet.
Expected return: Liverpool (February 4)
Jurrien Timber injury latest
Arteta has confirmed that Jurrien Timber could have a ‘realistic impact’ on Arsenal’s season. But the defender is still ‘very far’ from making a return from the ACL injury Timber sustained on the opening day. He went to the ground after just 50 minutes against Nottingham Forest.
Timber joined Arsenal from AFC Ajax last July and would likely have played a vital role under Arteta this season. The 22-year-old quickly established a leading spot at the back during the Gunners’ summer schedule. He offered Arteta versatility on either side and from the middle.
However, surgery for the ACL injury threatened to rule Timber out of his entire debut season at Arsenal. Yet FC Porto’s upcoming visit to Emirates Stadium for the second leg of the club’s Champions League Round of 16 meeting is a best-case scenario for Timber’s earliest return.
“There is a possibility,” Arteta said during his pre-Crystal Palace press conference this Friday. “But, at the moment, he is still very, very far from competing. That’s the reality of it.
“We’re hopeful that he can have an impact at the end of the season, if everything goes well. It looks like there is a chance that that might happen but it’s too early to make that call.”
Expected return: FC Porto (March 12)
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