Arsenal boss offers injury update on Saka, Partey & Tomiyasu

Arsenal will be looking to tighten their grip on fourth place with a win at West Ham on Sunday afternoon.

Ahead of the game, Mikel Arteta has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference today and he’s provided a team news and injury update which includes the latest on the fitness of Bukayo Saka, Thomas Partey and Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Saka was forced off midway through the second half during Arsenal’s 3-1 victory over Manchester United last weekend. The winger was carrying a thigh problem before the game at the Emirates and appeared to aggravate the issue against United.

However, the 20-year-old has made a swift recovery and was spotted in training with the rest of the first team squad on Thursday. Arteta has confirmed Saka has ‘recovered well’ and should be fit to face West Ham on Sunday afternoon.

Partey has also been stepping up his recovery from a thigh injury that he sustained against Crystal Palace earlier this month. The midfielder has been seen running on a treadmill this week, fuelling talk he may return before the end of the season.

However, speaking today, Arteta has said that while Partey is ‘progressing’, Arsenal don’t expect the Ghana international to be available before the end of the campaign.

Tomiyasu on the other hand could make his first start in almost three months when Arsenal travel to the London Stadium this weekend. The full-back marked his return from a calf injury with a late substitute appearance against Man Utd. Arteta says they will make a late decision over whether to hand Tomiyasu a start against West Ham or use the 23-year-old off the bench again.

Arteta told Football London:

Arteta on Saka

Hopefully he will be fine he had some issues in the final part of the game but he’s recovered well

Arteta on Partey

He’s progressing but he had a significant injury so we don’t expect him to make progress quickly enough to see him again this season

Arteta on Tomiyasu

When he’s been out so long you only know how he will fare when you put a player on the pitch. He lacks a bit of time on the pitch so it’s a decision that we’ll make tomorrow.

Arsenal head into the weekend action sitting fourth in the table – two points ahead of Tottenham – so they can tighten their grip on a top four place with victory over West Ham on Sunday.