Arsenal are gearing up for a key few weeks in the battle for a top four finish this season. Mikel Arteta and his side have managed to put themselves into a position to compete for Champions League qualification, but have struggled since their return from the international break.
Back-to-back losses to Crystal Palace and Brighton have shaken up the race, putting the Spaniard in fifth, three points behind North London rivals Tottenham with one game in hand. However, with games against Spurs, Chelsea, Manchester United and West Ham all to come, it could be a tough run-in before the end.
That combination isn’t helped by injuries, with the squad looking especially thin in the absence of some key players and a number of others leaving in January. With Southampton, who are fresh off of a 6-0 loss to Chelsea at the weekend, up next, it seems a crucial match for the Gunners to regain some lost momentum.
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With that in mind, football.london has rounded up all the latest injury news from the Emirates below.
Takehiro Tomiyasu
Tomiyasu will not make his return until at least mid-April. It was thought that the former Bologna man could return sooner rather than later, having been involved in training, but Arsenal have now revealed that he's still over a week away from returning to training action.
What the club has said: "Takehiro is making progress in his recovery from a muscle injury to his left calf, which he sustained in February. Takehiro had successfully recovered from a muscle injury sustained to his right calf in January.
"It is hoped that Takehiro will be back in full training after the match at Southampton on Saturday, April 16. All other players in the men's first-team squad are currently fit and available for selection."
Expected return date: April 20-23 - Either Chelsea (A) or Manchester United (H)
Kieran Tierney
Tierney is expected to be out of action for the rest of the season as he's set to undergo knee surgery this week.
What the club has said: "Our responsibility is to look after them when we have them here, but once they go to the national team, in this case it’s their job and responsibility to decide the team that they believe is the best to win the games and we have to try to have quick communication with the national teams, which we have, but these things happen."
Expected return date: Summer 2022.
Thomas Partey
Partey was withdrawn at Selhurst Park with a thigh injury, with the Ghanaian set to miss a few key games. He is expected to make his return before the end of the season.
What Arteta has said: "It is a little bit ambiguous, but he has a significant injury and we’ll have to keep assessing him, but he will be out for some weeks. It could be (an issue), but it could also not be because it’s an area where he had a previous injury as well and he felt it straight away. It’s not quick."
Expected return date: Unknown.
