Mikel Arteta has confirmed Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz will miss Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Fulham, while Martin Odegaard remains a doubt.
Mikel Arteta has confirmed Arsenal will be without Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Fulham.
Arsenal return to domestic action after their 1-1 Champions League semi-final first-leg draw against Atletico Madrid, with Arteta’s side looking to strengthen their position in the title race before next week’s return leg at the Emirates Stadium.
The Fulham fixture comes at a crucial stage of the season, with Arsenal still competing on two fronts and managing a short turnaround between major matches. Arteta confirmed Havertz and Timber will not be available this weekend, while Martin Odegaard’s involvement remains uncertain.
Asked for an update on Odegaard ahead of the game, Arteta gave little away, saying: “Let’s see.”
The Arsenal captain’s fitness is now one of the key questions before kick-off, particularly after the physical and emotional demands of the draw in Madrid. With Arsenal still chasing the Premier League title and a place in the Champions League final, Arteta is having to balance selection decisions carefully.
Havertz will not feature against Fulham, but there is hope he could return for the second leg against Atletico next week. The Germany international has been a major miss for Arsenal, and Arteta underlined his importance when asked about his season.
“He’s been a huge miss,” Arteta said. “We’re talking about one of the most important attacking players we have, and he’s been out for seven or eight months.
“Unfortunately, he’s not been the only one with long-term injuries and players who have been missed. The team has shown an incredible capacity to overcome these kinds of scenarios and still be very, very competitive.”
Arteta also confirmed Havertz is pushing hard to return as quickly as possible, with the Atletico second leg now a potential target.
“The focus right now has to be on availability and performance, and Kai is desperate to be on the pitch as quickly as possible,” Arteta said. “Hopefully for Atletico, he will be available, and he’s pushing every boundary to achieve that.”
Timber’s absence is another blow for Arsenal, given his ability to play across the back line and offer Arteta flexibility during a congested run of fixtures. His absence against Fulham means Arsenal will again need to rely on their available defensive options before turning attention back to Europe.
Despite the injury concerns, Arteta’s message before Fulham was focused on urgency rather than excuses.
“Focus on Fulham, and hunger,” he said. “Hunger to play, hunger to compete, hunger to win, hunger to be closer to achieving our dream.”
Victory over Fulham would move Arsenal six points clear of Manchester City, even though City would still have the chance to pull level with their games in hand. With Havertz and Timber ruled out, and Odegaard still uncertain, Arsenal must find a way to keep momentum in the title race before another defining Champions League night.