Arsenal to unleash four returning players at Chelsea as Arteta receives perfectly timed boost
Arsenal have made it a habit of entering the international break at the perfect time. The September stoppage came following a dramatic late victory over Manchester United with Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus sentencing Erik ten Hag’s side to a miserable period of reflection that is clearly still taking its toll weeks later.
It was the Red Devil’s noisier neighbours, though, who fell to yet another late winner from the Gunners going into another break. Gabriel Martinelli’s deflected strike downed Manchester City for the first time since 2015 in the Premier League in what could prove a pivotal victory by the Gunners as it condemned the treble-winners to a second-straight defeat.
It’s understandable that some might want to take such a victory and run with it. Storm into the next game with the momentum it brings and bring down a Chelsea side who have mounted something of a mini-revival in the last couple of weeks.
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To that, I say, as Unai Emery did before me: “Calm.” The international break arrives at the perfect time for the Gunners to grab their winnings and run away for some rest. The aforementioned Martinelli was not able to start the game as he continued rehabilitation from a hamstring injury and Thomas Partey too had to start from the bench as he recovers from a persistent groin issue.
Bukayo Saka was not involved at all and Mikel Arteta spoke after the game to explain how he would not be playing football for the moment, hinting that would rule out England duty too. He said, “No, he could not make it.
“He has not had a single training session, so he will be out. He’s not available to play football at the moment.”
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