Everton may have just been handed welcome boost after Mikel Arteta injury update
Arsenal could be sweating on the fitness of Leandro Trossard and Riccardo Calafiori when they face Everton next week.
The Premier League champions-elect take on Everton at the Emirates Stadium on 14 March looking to continue their march to the title.
However, David Moyes‘ side have their own ambitions, and are trying to bring European football to the Hill Dickinson Stadium next season.
Their chances may be increased after what Mikel Arteta said following the narrow 2-1 FA Cup win over Mansfield on 7 March.
What did Arteta say ahead of Everton clash?
Arteta confirmed that Trossard and Calafiori are potentially doubtful for their fixtures with Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, then the Blues in the league.
Speaking after the contest at Field Mill, the ex-Toffees midfielder said: “Both of them had little niggles, they were not comfortable to continue.
“And I knew that this could be a possibility, especially in the conditions that we’re playing today.
“We had to take them off.”
He confirmed that Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi, David Raya and Gabriel were all rested to try and get rid of issues that they had been suffering with.
It seems as though they will all play, as he said: “Well, they had issues and they’ve been carrying issues, and the amount of games that we are playing, it’s obviously super demanding.
“And it was the only time to try to make sure that we can clean those issues that they’re having to start the next sequence of two weeks before the break in the best possible way, and we had to make those decisions.”
Why Everton can secure a result at Arsenal
Moyes’ side should be confident of getting something, they can beat anyone on their day, and have won three of their last five.
The Gunners are unbeaten in their last five, with two draws and one win, but the Belgian and the Italian are key depth pieces, which could hamper them when they face the Blues.
It would be a welcome boost for the L4 outfit if those players are out for the hosts, as Arteta may be forced to put out a sub-optimal side, which could increase the Merseysiders chances of the kind of result that they need.
Everton are chasing European qualification, and if they want to achieve that ambition, they need to be getting results against some of the best sides.
It will come down to the wire, and a win or a draw against the league leaders would be a massive help to Moyes and his squad, in their chase for continental competition.
They will prepare as though the Gunners do not have any injury issues anyway, though, and hopefully can come away with the desired outcome from a tough contest.
The Blues just need to believe.
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