How Arsenal can line-up vs Bournemouth after major Martin Odegaard injury boost

How Arsenal can line-up vs Bournemouth after major Martin Odegaard injury boost

Arsenal return to action after the international break against Bournemouth but Mikel Arteta has a number of injury issues to contend with

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is slowly regaining his fitness (EFA

Mikel Arteta still has one week to prepare for Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Bournemouth after the international break.

Currently third in the table and just one point behind league leaders Liverpool, the Gunners have started the 2024/25 season in impressive form and Arteta will want to continue that run next Saturday (October 19). Arsenal travel to Bournemouth in the Saturday evening kick-off and will have the chance to go top, with Liverpool and Man City playing on Sunday.

Arteta will be hoping in the coming days that none of his Arsenal players pick up any serious injuries while away with their countries. The Gunners do have 12 senior players working at the Sobha Realty Training Centre due to injury or not being called up to international squads, so Arteta will be able to get a few beneficial training sessions in with a handful of his squad in the coming days.

Neto, on loan from Bournemouth for the season, is one of the stars who remained in north London during the international break but David Raya is expected to continue in goal for Arsenal against the Cherries. William Saliba and Gabriel should also continue in the heart of the defence, presuming they do not pick up any knocks with France and Brazil respectively.

Riccardo Calafiori has made a decent start to his Gunners career and there is no reason why he should be dropped from left-back. On the other side, at right-back, Arteta has had to deal with injuries to Jurrien Timber and Ben White in recent weeks and the former Man City assistant will be keen to get both players back as soon as possible. Both players are believed to be close to making a comeback but Timber may be given the nod given his solid start to the season.

In midfield Thomas Partey and Declan Rice are expected to play once more. Partey did pull out of international duty with Ghana earlier this week so it remains to be seen if he will be fit eno

The Ghana Football Association said on Monday: “Thomas is unable to join the Black Stars due to medical issues he is currently experiencing, and his club has scheduled him for further tests in the coming days.” Some reports have suggested that Partey simply pulled out of the squad due to illness, but this has not yet been confirmed.

Ahead of Rice and Partey, Arteta would ideally want to play Martin Odegaard but the Gunners captain is nursing an ankle injury. There was a positive update shared in regard to the Norwegian’s fitness this week, however, and it could mean the former Real Madrid man returns to action sooner rather than later.

Arsenal shared a clip on social media of Odegaard continuing his rehabilitation during the international break, with the Gunners’ captain shown running on an AlterG Anti-Gravity treadmill. “What a day,” he says in the clip. “Running on the AlterG. Unreal.”

If Odegaard does not make it in time for the Bournemouth clash, Leandro Trossard may play in his place. There is also Mikel Merino should Arteta wish to use him, as well as Jorginho.

To the forward line and all eyes will be on Kai Havertz and whether the former Chelsea man is fit enough for the fixture at Vitality Stadium. The 25-year-old pulled out of the Germany squad for clashes against Bosnia & Herzegovina and Holland due to a knee issue. It remains to be seen whether he’ll be available for the trip to the south coast, although according to the MailOnline, Havertz’ knock is not thought to be serious, so he could well be fit enough for next weekend’s match.

Bukayo Saka is a certain starter for the Gunners after his impressive display against Southampton last time out, while Gabriel Martinelli’s goal against the Saints is probably enough for the Brazilian to start on the left wing.

Possible Arsenal line-up vs Bournemouth: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Partey, Trossard; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli.