(Image: (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images))
Latest Arsenal injury news vs Man City as Martin Odegaard update finally given
by Matthew Abbott · Manchester Evening NewsArsenal manager Mikel Arteta has finally offered an update on the availability of Martin Odegaard ahead of Manchester City hosting the Gunners on Sunday.
After sustaining an injury during Norway's Nations League match against Austria, Odegaard missed the North London Derby against Tottenham Hotspur. Before that game, Arteta did not expand on how long the club's captain would be out for while awaiting scans of the injury.
However, the chances of the midfielder, who required crutches to move around during the international break, featuring at the Etihad Stadium have seemed slim ever since. Arteta has now confirmed that is the case for Odegaard.
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"After recent scans, the scans showed that he's got some damage, especially on one of the ligaments in the ankle," the Arsenal boss said. "It's something quite significant so we're going to lose him for a while.
"He's our captain. He's been one of the biggest and best players in our team.
"Our identity is very linked to how he plays and behaves. It's a big test for the team to see how able we are to show a different face."
However, summer signing Riccardo Calafiori returned to training on Wednesday ahead of their Champions League tie against Atalanta after also picking up a problem playing for his national team. Their other signing Mikel Merino, though, is still recovering from a shoulder fracture and is not expected back until next month.
Takehiro Tomiyasu is also seemingly no nearer to returning, with Arteta providing an update on the defender who has yet to feature this season due to injury. "At the moment, it is difficult to say [when he will return]," Arteta said.
"It's a bit slow the process of the first phase of that injury. It's probably for the medical team to say more than that. He's not done any training yet."