Arsenal take on Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Champions League wanting to get back to winning ways following the defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday evening. With a clash with Liverpool to come, the open training session on Monday afternoon provided an insight into which players could indeed be available.
Saka was a late call to play against the Cherries but Arteta decided not to take the risk. Speaking before the afternoon’s trainin g, the Spaniard provided an update on the winger and Martin Odegaard.
"They are closer and both progressing really well. Martin is still not fit," Arteta told reporters.
"With Bukayo, let's see how he feels today and in the training session that we have later on."
Timber, meanwhile, who has been suffering from a muscular problem, which meant he has missed games on either side of the international break, looked as though he could be in contention. Arteta, like with Saka, made sure to be clear it depended on how he faired in training.
"I think he’s going to be close," Arteta said. "Obviously, we have to see how he deals with training with the whole group because he hasn’t done that yet, but he will be pretty close hopefully."
With both not in action however, Arteta still has the tough call to make of how, if he wants, deal with their absences. Liverpool coming five days later, a game which will see William Saliba missing through suspension, would be very grateful to have Timber there.
Throwing the Dutchman in against the Ukrainian side, other than in its closing stages, might have been risky. Timber has continued to suffer with load-bearing problems in the aftermath of his recovery from a serious knee injury that cost him almost all of the previous campaign.
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