August 17th 2024.
Football fans of Arsenal are eagerly anticipating the start of their Premier League campaign as they face off against Wolves this afternoon. One player in particular that they will be keeping an eye out for is their new signing, Riccardo Calafiori. After a successful pre-season with dominant wins against Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon, the Gunners are in good shape with a relatively clean bill of health.
However, there were some concerns when Jurrien Timber missed both of those pre-season games. Timber had a rough first season with the club, as he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury on the first day of the 2023-24 campaign against Nottingham Forest. He only returned to the field on the final day against Everton in May. And now, with Timber struggling with a foot problem, some were worried that he would miss the start of the new season as well.
But Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta put those fears to rest, confirming on Friday that Timber will be part of the squad for the game against Wolves. Unfortunately, Takehiro Tomiyasu will not be joining them, as he is still recovering from a knee problem and will be out for a few more weeks. In addition, Kieran Tierney is also unavailable for the match.
During their pre-season game against Lyon, Arsenal fans got their first glimpse of Calafiori, with the Italian international playing the final 25 minutes. And now, the young defender will be hoping to make his competitive debut on Saturday. However, Arteta may choose to start Oleksandr Zinchenko at left-back instead, as he has been part of a strong back four alongside Ben White, William Saliba, and Gabriel Magalhaes in their final pre-season games.
With Calafiori being the only new addition to the team, the rest of Arsenal's starting XI is expected to resemble the one that gave Manchester City a run for their money last season. It was Kai Havertz who finished the season as Arteta's preferred option up top, and he is likely to start again in the season opener.
For those wondering where to catch the Arsenal vs Wolves game, it kicks off at 3pm on Saturday August 17. Unfortunately, it will not be available to watch in the UK. But don't worry, we will keep you updated with all the latest news, exclusives, and analysis on Arsenal. So be sure to sign up and stay tuned.
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