'I got it totally wrong' - Mikel Arteta refuses to give Gabriel Jesus injury timeframe with Arsenal striker set to miss Carabao Cup clash against West Ham
Mikel Arteta has refused to put a timeframe on Gabriel Jesus' latest injury setback, claiming he did so previously and «got it totally wrong».
WHAT HAPPENED? The Brazilian forward missed the first three games of the season due to a knee problem and was gradually eased in by Arteta, before featuring heavily in the league and in Europe. That was until Arsenal's Champions League clash against Sevilla last week, which saw Jesus pick up a muscle issue. Jesus sat out the Gunners' 5-0 win over Sheffield United at the weekend and is also likely to be absent when they face West Ham in the last-16 of the Carabao Cup, with Arteta reluctant to set a date for his potential return.
WHAT THEY SAID: “With him [Jesus], I’m honestly not going to give [a timeframe]," the Gunners boss told a press conference. «I did it once and got it totally wrong. We need to be cautious because we need to treat it in the right way. He’s already pushing everybody and wants to be back as quickly as possible, and we need him, so that’s great.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: While Arteta confirmed that midfielder Thomas Partey „will be out for weeks“ due to a muscular issue, the Spaniard was more optimistic over captain Martin Odegaard's availability. The Norway international was rested for the Sheffield United game after nursing a hip problem, as Arteta hinted at his slow reintegration into the side. The Arsenal boss added: „We rested him the other day, so it’s how long we rest him for and how we manage the minutes and the rhythm that he needs to be at his best.“
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WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL? With Jesus a doubt and Odegaard unlikely to start, Arteta will have to explore alternative options in attack for the Gunners' trip to West Ham on Wednesday, with a place in
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