Arteta confirms Arsenal injury blow

Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Martin Odegaard is set to miss several weeks with a knee injury.

The Norway midfielder has sustained a medial collateral ligament injury to his left knee.

“It will be weeks,” Arteta said. “No definite date for his return, but he’s evolving well. Very unlucky, what’s happening with him and his injuries this season. But yeah, I think he will be back in a few weeks.

“We’ll have to see how he progresses, how the knee is healing, how he manages after the next steps in his rehab. So, too early to give an answer.

“I think he’s in a really good place. It was disappointing how it happened. The good thing is that he does everything that he possibly can to prevent injuries. The injuries that he had, they are very, very difficult to prevent. So that’s something that you take a weight off yourself.

“And that’s it. And then he cannot afford to be in a different mindset. He’s the captain. He needs to drive the standard. He needs to be the example. He needs to bring that next to that. So that’s it.

“When you don’t have an option, you are a dad. You have to look after your kids. You have to be there. You are good. You are tired. You don’t. You have to be there. That’s his responsibility in the team.”

But Martin Zubimendi is set to be involved against Fulham this weekend despite being absent from training this week. Ben White is also available, with Arteta revealing both were having their workload managed.

Kai Havertz and Noni Madueke are still sidelined with their respective knee injuries, however.

On Madueke, Arteta said: “Getting closer as well. He’s going to start very soon to start doing some running and stuff and again, let’s see how that works.”

Arteta says Havertz still has a fair way to go before he can return, however.

“There’s still a lot to do in his rehab,” he said.

“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 a really good work with him again.

“He wants to break every timeline, I’m sure. But as well, we have to protect him and make sure that when he comes back, he’s come back for the long term.”

But Piero Hincapie is back involved following his injury problem.

“Yeah, he will be training today again with us and if everything is right, he will be available as well,” Arteta said on Hincapie.

“He’s a player is going to help us a lot, he’s going to bring something different to the team. We need to get him going, get to the speed that’s necessary to compete at this level and gradually get him to where we want.”