Mikel Arteta is unsure whether Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori will be fit to face Burnley on Monday; meanwhile, Jurrien Timber is still hoping to play this season.
Calafiori was subbed off at half-time against West Ham at the weekend, with the Spanish manager revealing that the defender did indeed come off with an injury.
🤕 Fill in the blank: _________ should start at right-back for Arsenal after Ben White’s injury…
Jurrien Timber remains sidelined!
Meanwhile, Ben White also suffered an injury and is set to miss the rest of the season, meaning Timber’s return is even more crucial now.
Speaking ahead of the crucial Premier League game against Burnley on Monday at the Emirates Stadium, Arteta has been speaking about both of his full-backs’ returns.
Mikel Arteta’s injury update on Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber
Mikel Arteta is hopeful that Riccardo Calafiori’s injury is ‘nothing serious’ but is unsure whether he will be fit to face Burnley on Monday, as reported by James Benge.
The Italian defender will be a huge miss for the Gunners, and Piero Hincapie will have to step in to replace him for Monday’s match.
In Jurrien Timber’s case, Arteta has revealed that there is a possibility that the Dutch international will be back before the final game.
However, Arteta also admitted that he remains unsure how likely it actually is that the defender will make his return.
👀 Fill in the blank: Arsenal are taking _ points from the final two Premier League matches…
Arsenal are now short at right-back with White also missing, meaning that Cristhian Mosquera is set to play the rest of the campaign there for the Gunners.
Arteta seemed reluctant to use the Spanish defender there initially against West Ham, as he moved Declan Rice to right-back and brought on Martin Zubimendi instead.
Mosquera has been asked to play at full-back on several occasions since joining Arsenal and he has generally done well there.
However, the 21-year-old is set to be really tested in the Champions League final when he faces PSG attacker Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Arteta would love to have both Calafiori and Timber available for the final on May 30, but it seems most likely that only the former will make it at this stage.
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