Saka injury ‘not serious’ but Arsenal is without Odegaard

Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka’s injury “is not serious” but captain Martin Odegaard remains unavailable, manager Mikel Arteta confirmed on Friday. England international Saka, 23, sustained an apparent hamstring injury during the Three Lions’ loss to Greece last week and missed Sunday’s win over Finland.
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“It is not a serious injury. He is evolving really well. He has done a few things in the last two days. We are hopeful,” Arteta said.
 
But Odegaard “is not going to be fit” in time for Saturday’s Premier League match at Bournemouth (17:30 BST), having suffered an ankle ligament injury during September’s international break.
 
Among Arsenal’s other injury concerns, forward Kai Havertz “has a good chance” of featuring while defenders Ben White, Jurrien Timber and Oleksandr Zinchenko are “quite close” to making a return, according to the Arsenal boss.
 
Arsenal, runners-up to Manchester City in the past two seasons, are within one point of leaders Liverpool and unbeaten after seven games before facing Bournemouth.
 
Midfielder Odegaard, 25, has not played for the club since late August, missing four league games and both of the Gunners’ Champions League fixtures. Arteta was optimistic about Saka and Havertz, who withdrew from the Germany squad because he “had a few issues”, but added he would need to decide “if we want to take the risk” on Gabriel Martinelli after he returned from Brazil on Thursday.
 
On White, Timber and Zinchenko’s chances of making the squad today (Saturday), Arteta said: “Hopefully we have some positive news today and we have some players back tomorrow.”
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