Arsenal attacker Gabriel Martinelli has missed training ahead of the Gunners’ next home Europa League Group A match against PSV Eindhoven.
The Gunners will be looking for a top-two finish and a berth in the knockout round playoffs in the rescheduled match, which was first postponed due to Queen Elizabeth II’s death.
Arsenal have won their first three Group A games and need only a point to clinch a spot in the top two, while a win would put them five points ahead of second-placed PSV with two games remaining.
Mohamed Elneny and Emile Smith Rowe are also out due to hamstring and groin injuries, respectively, and Martinelli was not seen in training on Wednesday afternoon.
According to the Evening Standard, the 21-year-old has been nursing a calf injury suffered against Leeds United over the weekend, as well as battling sickness.
Furthermore, Oleksandr Zinchenko’s calf issue is still bothering him, but Mikel Arteta has refused to rule out the possibility of both players being available for Thursday.
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“No they [Martinelli and Zinchenko] are not ruled out, but we will see tomorrow what we decide,” the Spaniard said in his pre-match press conference.
Elaborating on Zinchenko’s injury, Arteta added: “He had a recurring injury in his calf. That’s why he’s been out for this period.”
When asked if Zinchenko would be back in action before the World Cup begins next month, Arteta confidently said, “Yes.”
Martinelli began the 2022-23 season as Arsenal’s first-choice left winger, appearing in 13 games across all competitions and contributing four goals and two assists in the Premier League.
If the Brazil international is unable to recover in time for Thursday, Reiss Nelson, who spent last season with Feyenoord in the Netherlands, could get a rare start.
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