Injury updates on Gabriel, Odegaard and White | News

Mikel Arteta hopes to have Gabriel available again for the clash against Newcastle United on Saturday should he come through today’s training session unscathed.

The Brazilian defender limped off against Liverpool last weekend and missed his first game of the campaign against Preston North End in midweek, but the boss revealed that he hopes to have his first-choice central defensive pairing available again at St James’ Park with William Saliba also returning from suspension.

It remains touch-and-go for Gabriel though, with Mikel revealing: “We have a training session today. If he can complete that, he’ll be available. He hasn’t had any training sessions yet, but if he’s able to do that today, he’ll be available to be in the squad.”

Ben White filled in for William in our 2-2 draw against the Reds last Sunday but also missed the Preston cup clash on Wednesday with Mikel admitting he’s struggling with a fresh issue rather than the groin injury that saw him miss action last month.

That means Ben could join Riccardo Calafiori, Martin Odegaard, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney on the sidelines, which disappoints Mikel as he was delighted with his display in the heart of our backline last week at Emirates Stadium.

“Riccardo and Martin are out definitely. With Ben, we don’t know yet. He hasn’t trained yet. He could not train, he could not get involved, so let’s wait and see if he’s available. This is related more to a joint.

“He can play in those two positions, within those positions he can adapt his role and play different heights, especially in ball possession we’re demanding against a very difficult, tricky opponent with very particular duels, especially in that section of the pitch. To do that job, when he hasn’t played there for over a year, I think he was really good.”

While the Newcastle game comes too early for a return for Odegaard, the skipper is edging closer to a return and when asked if there was a chance he could return for the Inter Milan game next week, Mikel suggested that he may be close as he expects him to come roaring back when given the opportunity to impress again in training.

On where Martin is at with his recovery, the boss added: “Now is the stage when he will do certain work with us, Let’s see how he deals with pain, if he moves naturally enough, if he is physically now at the level that requires him to compete.

“But with the workrate and the hours he’s put in, I would be surprised that the moment he starts training with us, we don’t say that he looks ready. So hopefully soon.”