Mikel Arteta provides injury update on Cedric Soares ahead of Sunday’s game: report

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has provided an injury update on new signing Cedric Soares ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash against Burnley on the road.

The Portuguese right-back was officially announced as a Gunners player on deadline day after the club agreed on his temporary move from Southampton for the rest of the season.

Speaking in a press conference ahead of the Clarets clash, Arteta said that Soares is being assessed after the knee injury picked up earlier in the month and the defender may not be fit for the club’s final league game before the mid-season break.

“They were assessing him yesterday and we will have more results today, but he’s got a little issue. I don’t think he will be available to play [on Sunday],” he told.

The Gunners have improved on their performances under the guidance of Arteta over the past month but they have still struggled to register regular wins in the top-flight.

As a result, they are still 10 points behind the top four positions but they could close the gap, should fourth-placed Chelsea drop points against Leicester City on the road on Saturday.

Obviously, Arteta’s side will be boosted by the returns of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and David Luiz from their respective suspensions, and it remains to be seen whom the former replaces in the starting lineup.

Gabriel Martinelli has caught the eye with a goal or an assist in each of the previous three matches for the club and Arteta could be tempted to continue playing the Brazilian on the left wing.

In this case, Alexandre Lacazette could possibly get the axe from the starting lineup for Aubameyang to lead the line. The club-captain has barely played as the centre-forward since Arteta took over the managerial job.