Gabriel Jesus boost, Eddie Nketiah blow – 3 things spotted in Arsenal training ahead of Sporting
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has put his side through their paces ahead of Thursday’s Europa League clash with Sporting CP.
The first leg of the round of 16 match ended 2-2 in Lisbon when William Saliba’s opener was quashed by two Sporting goals before a freaky own goal from Hidemasa Morita meant the score would be tied ahead of this week’s game at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners’ final game came on Sunday afternoon when they beat Fulham 3-0 in the Premier League, where four first-team players have resumed after injuries and illnesses.
Star striker Gabriel Jesus, out for over three months with a knee injury, came on as a late substitute at Craven Cottage while Leandro Trossard made a quick return from a groin injury. Both Martin Odegaard and Kieran Tierney were injured in the first leg against Ruben Amorim’s side but recovered in time for the trip to west London.
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Ahead of the much-anticipated clash on Thursday football.london takes a look at three key talking points from recent training pictures released by Arsenal on Tuesday night.
Gabriel Jesus boost
Jesus came into play in the 77th minute of the aforementioned game against Fulham and finally made his long-awaited return as Arsenal supporters cheered his first touches on the pitch. Considering how long the Brazil international’s break has lasted, it wouldn’t have been unusual if he hadn’t trained for a few days while continuing to run at full speed.
However, that was not the case on Tuesday. In fact, Jesus was heavily involved in the session, in another image he envisioned himself flying past two teammates and bursting with smiles. It might be too soon for the 25-year-old to start Thursday’s game against Sporting, although he will likely be involved in some way as Arteta looks to get his marquee summer contract back into full fitness for a crucial few months into the season make.
Eddie Nketiah’s injury strike
One player who continues to be sidelined through injury is colleague Eddie Nketiah. The Hale End Academy graduate missed the gameday squad for the last three games after suffering an ankle bump. Arteta has since admitted he’s not sure when Nketiah will return to action.
“We’re checking him out,” said the Spaniard last week about the 23-year-old. “It’s a bit uncertain what’s going to happen to him, to be honest, in the training sessions.
“Let’s see, let’s keep the options open. He is very positive and hopefully he will do well.”
Unfortunately for the Gunners, Nketiah was again not pictured during Tuesday’s session, suggesting he will not be available against Sporting.
Midfield opportunities
Arsenal playmaker Fabio Vieira and Emile Smith Rowe were also captured side by side during Tuesday’s session in London Colney. The two talented youngsters have just one more game to play together and perhaps Thursday would be the perfect opportunity to see how they would fit together.
They could potentially be used as No.8 on either side of midfielder Jorginho, although that could be too easy on defensive transitions. Smith Rowe’s versatility means he can be used on either flank or even as a false nine.
When Arteta was asked if Gabriel Martinelli would play as a centre-forward in the first leg, the Spaniard replied: “We have alternatives – Emile can also play in that position, we can move players and Reiss can give us breadth and threaten wider areas.”
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