Mikel Arteta provides updates on Partey and Vieira, hints at injury boost for Burnley trip
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has provided an update on midfielders Thomas Partey and Fabio Vieira ahead of the Premier League clash against Burnley on the road.
The Gunners are currently on a four-match winning league streak since the start of the year. This is the first time it has happened in the Premier League era for the club.
They will be eyeing a fifth successive victory at Turf Moor tomorrow. Ahead of the game, Arteta has provided some good news on the injury front on key players.
The manager said that Partey is progressing ‘really well’ after his recent setback and added that Vieira is also ‘very close’. He is ahead of schedule with his recovery.
He told Arsenal.com: “Thomas Partey is progressing really well. I don’t want to say too much but he’s looking very good and he’s on the field already.”
“[Fabio] is very close. He’s been training already for a few days with the team, so I think it’s very close. He’ll be back probably faster than we expected and he’s in a good place.”
The duo are unlikely to be available for the visit of Lancashire, but Arteta hinted that he could have a few players, who missed the 6-0 league rout of West Ham United.
He added: “Some of them have been progressing better than others. We have a training session again today.”
“Some of them have done a few bits this week and I’m positive that hopefully we’re going to get a few back for tomorrow.”
Arsenal are currently two points behind leaders Liverpool and need to keep on winning to pile the pressure on Jurgen Klopp’s side over the forthcoming games.
Against the Clarets, there could be a few changes in the matchday squad depending on who is available after today’s training session.
Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf), Takehiro Tomiyasu (calf), Gabriel Jesus (knee) and Emile Smith Rowe (ankle) were not deemed fit enough to travel to east London last weekend.
The quartet were all carrying minor injuries before the derby. We could see one or two return to the matchday squad for Saturday’s afternoon kick-off from Turf Moor.
Ideally, Arteta may not want to make any changes to the starting XI that beat the Hammers, but we won’t be surprised if Zinchenko and Jesus are reinstated into the line-up.
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