November 10th 2024.
Martin Odegaard is eager to make his return to the starting lineup for Arsenal as they face off against Chelsea this weekend. Manager Mikel Arteta is considering bringing Odegaard back into the team after he recently recovered from a significant ankle injury that kept him sidelined for three months. The Gunners' captain made a brief appearance as a substitute during their Champions League match against Inter Milan on Tuesday, and now he is keen to secure a spot in the starting eleven for Sunday's game.
During his press conference on Friday, Arteta mentioned that a final decision will have to be made about Odegaard's involvement in the match. With Arsenal not having secured a win in their last three Premier League matches, Arteta may be tempted to include his captain in the starting lineup to boost their chances of victory. However, there are also some injury concerns for the team, with midfielder Declan Rice nursing a broken toe and facing a late fitness test to determine whether he can play.
Meanwhile, two other players, Kai Havertz and Mikel Merino, are also facing some issues. Merino was substituted at half-time during the Inter Milan game due to illness, but he is expected to have recovered in time for the match against Chelsea. On the other hand, Havertz was taken off late in the game after a clash of heads with Yann Bisseck that resulted in him needing stitches on his head. However, Arteta remains hopeful that the German striker will be available for the match.
Unfortunately, some players will not be able to feature in the game, such as Riccardo Calafiori who is still recovering from an injury, and Raheem Sterling who is ineligible to play against his former club. Takeshiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney are also still sidelined, leaving Arteta with limited options for his starting lineup this weekend.
As for Chelsea, they made several changes to their team for their Europa Conference League match, with some key players returning to the starting lineup and securing a resounding 8-0 win. However, their biggest concern is the fitness of Cole Palmer, who has not trained this week due to a rough challenge he received in their previous match against Manchester United. Manager Enzo Maresca remains hopeful that Palmer will be fit to play on Sunday.
Jadon Sancho is also a doubt for Chelsea, as he is still recovering from an illness and a separate injury issue which he shared about on Instagram. However, the team will still have some talented players in their lineup, such as Saka, Havertz, and Martinelli for Arsenal, and James, Caicedo, and Madueke for Chelsea.
For fans looking to watch the match, it will be broadcasted on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event, with a live stream available on the Sky Go app and NOW TV. With both teams eager to secure a win, it promises to be an exciting and competitive match between Arsenal and Chelsea this weekend.
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