Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is in line to receive a welcome boost, with one star now expected to make an earlier return from injury.
Mikel Arteta shares Arsenal injury update pre-Fulham
The return of Premier League football after another tedious international break, much to the delight of Gunners supporters, is now imminent.
Arsenal take on Marco Silva’s Fulham at Craven Cottage, with Arteta looking to extend his side’s seven-game unbeaten run in all competitions and maintain their place atop the Premier League table.
The North Londoners have failed to win at Fulham’s ground in each of their last two visits, losing 2-1 there at the end of 2023 and drawing 1-1 a year later.
Silva has worked wonders on a shoe-string budget since guiding Fulham to promotion and an immediate return back to the top flight in 2022/2023, and the Whites are currently faring much better than a few of last summer’s much more lavish spenders.
Rank
Club
Gross Spend
Sales
Net Spend
15.
Crystal Palace
£48.9m
£67.5m
+£17.7m
14.
Aston Villa
£28m
£43m
+£15m
13.
Fulham
£35.1m
£8.7m
-£26.4m
12.
Burnley
£97.7m
£31m
-£66.7m
11.
West Ham
£131.3m
£55m
-£76.3m
See where Arsenal rank here…
Arteta currently has a few key players out as well, with club captain Martin Odegaard, summer signing Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus all unavailable for their trip across London.
Jesus is still recovering from his ACL tear, which has kept him out since last winter, and reports suggest that Arsenal could even sell the Brazilian in January following the arrival of Viktor Gyokeres.
Madueke was in red-hot form before he was sidelined with a knee problem, which was a major blow for the England international, and Odegaard swiftly returned to the treatment table with his own knee issue after just coming back from a shoulder injury.
“It will be weeks,” Arteta said on the Norway star in his pre-match press conference.
“There’s no definite date for his return, but he’s evolving well. It’s very unlucky, what’s happening with him and his injuries this season, but I think he will be back in a few weeks.”
Havertz, meanwhile, played just half an hour this season before he too suffered a knee complication.
“It’s very difficult, there’s still a lot to do in his rehab,” Arteta said about Havertz.
“He’s really pushing it. We know Kai and that’s why we love him so much, but we have to wait and see. I think we are doing some really good work with him again. He wants to break every timeline, I’m sure, but that’s why we have to protect him and make sure that when he comes back, he comes back for the long term.”
Speaking of the German, reliable club insider HandOfArsenal has shared a very encouraging update on Havertz’s progress via X, which provides further insight into what Arteta said in his pre-Fulham press conference.
Kai Havertz could return "earlier than expected" with Arsenal staff "blown away"
It is believed the attacker is striving to make an earlier return than anticipated, and his performances in rehab have even left Arsenal staff blown away.
This is undoubtedly excellent news for Arsenal, as the 26-year-old has become a crucial figure for Arteta.
Last campaign, Havertz was a key man in their attacking lineup across all competitions, showcasing his creativity and versatility with 15 goals and 5 assists — including four strikes in the Champions League.
These numbers would’ve been even greater if not for a hamstring injury which kept him out for three months towards the end of 2024/2025, and his potentially imminent presence will relieve some of the creative burden on Arsenal’s available forward line.
Havertz will also keep Gyokeres firmly on his toes, with the Swede currently on a six-game streak without scoring.