The latest Arsenal injury news ahead of hosting Aston Villa in the Premier League as Gunners boss Mikel Arteta offers updates on Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurrien Timber.
Aston Villa head to north London this Sunday looking to do the double over the Gunners this season. John McGinn secured the Birmingham outfit a 1-0 result when the two teams met in December. It left the squads just a point apart in the table but 11 points now separate them.
Only Manchester City (40) have secured more points than Arsenal (35) since Unai Emery’s XI beat Arteta’s men. Aston Villa have taken 25 points from their last 16 fixtures to travel to Arsenal outside the Champions League places with the Gunners atop the Premier League.
Arsenal injury list ahead of hosting Aston Villa
Arsenal lead the way through 31 games as Arteta strives to secure their first Premier League title in 20 years. But the Gunners are only above Liverpool on goal difference and one point clear of Manchester City as Emery returns to Emirates Stadium to stand in the away dugout.
Arteta will relish Arsenal boasting a generally clean bill of health ahead of hosting Aston Villa with very few injury doubts in north London, though. So, with that in mind, here is a look at the current injury situation facing Arteta ahead of Arsenal taking on Aston Villa this Sunday…
Gabriel Jesus injury latest
Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus has admitted that he may have to skip representing Brazil at the Copa America this summer to undergo surgery for his knee injury again. The 27-year-old has already had two operations on his knee since first suffering his injury at the 2022 World Cup.
Jesus required immediate surgery for the ligament damage which sidelined the forward until March 2023. Yet he also required a minor operation last August after feeling discomfort. But the injury has continued to be an issue with Jesus unable to remember playing without pain.
Any surgery to finally resolve his injury is unlikely until the summer, though. So, Jesus will be available to Arteta during Arsenal’s Premier League title run-in and the visit of Aston Villa on Sunday. He has scored four and assisted three goals through 21 top-flight games this term.
Expected return: Aston Villa (April 17)
Gabriel Magalhaes injury latest
Arsenal could be without one of their first-choice centre-backs against Aston Villa as Gabriel is a doubt due to injury. The 26-year-old missed training at London Colney on Friday after he suffered a knock at Brighton & Hove Albion last Saturday that has continued to trouble him.
Gabriel was able to play the full 90 minutes as Arsenal drew 2-2 with Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday. But the Brazilian is still feeling the effects of his knock and may have to sit out Aston Villa’s trip to be fit for the second leg.
Bayern Munich host Arsenal on Wednesday night for the reverse leg with all to play for still. Gabriel has also played every minute of the Gunners’ European tour this term. But Arteta is prepared to give Gabriel every chance to recover from his injury in time to meet Aston Villa.
“We’ve got one more day to prepare for the match,” Arteta said in his pre-Aston Villa press conference on Friday about Arsenal’s injury situation. “We will see tomorrow if everyone is available. We have some [concerns] but, hopefully, with another day we are going to be ok.”
Expected return: Aston Villa (April 14)
Jurrien Timber injury latest
Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal defender Timber is still not ready to return to first-team action as he recovers from surgery for his ACL injury. But the 22-year-old will soon play for the Gunners’ Under-21 side and feature in an in-house friendly as his return, finally, nears.
Timber sustained his injury 50 minutes into the Dutchman’s Premier League debut against Nottingham Forest in August. He is now nearing the end of the road to recovery but has a ‘few’ more steps, which Arteta believes Timber can only make once he plays with the U21s.
“He’s still got a few steps to make,” Arteta said in his press conference. “He needs to play [one] game at least with the Under-21s. He’s gonna have an in-house game soon, as well.
“He’s done everything in training. Now, he’s getting that match fitness and having people around is like competing in a football match, which is different to training.”
Expected return: April/May 2024