Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is optimistic about the injury status of Martin Odegaard and Leandro Trossard following their friendly match against Nuremberg, which ended in a 1-1 draw. The team, who recently played a goalless draw against Watford, once again failed to secure a victory in their second pre-season game at the Max-Morlock Stadion.
The deadlock was broken by an impressive goal from Bukayo Saka just eight minutes into the match. However, a bizarre own goal by Jorginho later resulted in a draw for the German second-tier hosts. Odegaard and Trossard were initially included in the starting lineup, but Odegaard had to be substituted at the last minute due to a knock. Fabio Vieira replaced him in the lineup. In the second half, Trossard suffered an injury and was replaced by Folarin Balogun.
During the post-match press conference, Arteta provided an update on the condition of both players. Regarding Odegaard, Arteta mentioned that he felt something in his calf during the warm-up, which prevented him from playing. Trossard also experienced an issue during the match. When asked if their injuries were serious, Arteta responded, “Hopefully not.”
In addition to Odegaard and Trossard, Arsenal was already missing Mohamed Elneny, Gabriel Martinelli, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Takehiro Tomiyasu for the Nuremberg clash. However, William Saliba, who had been struggling with a back injury, was deemed fit to start the game.
Arteta made several changes during the second half, including giving a debut appearance to new signing Kai Havertz, who joined the team for a hefty £65 million fee from Chelsea. Although Havertz had a relatively quiet game, Arteta praised his talent, quality, physicality, and goal threat. He also emphasized the importance of adapting Havertz to the team’s style of play and building on-field relationships.
While there have been suggestions that Havertz could fill the void left by Granit Xhaka on the left side of Arsenal’s midfield, Arteta clarified that Havertz is not a direct replacement for the Swiss captain. Arteta acknowledged the differences between the two players and highlighted Havertz’s unique qualities that align with Arsenal’s playing style.
Looking ahead, Arsenal will be heading to the United States for a series of matches against the MLS All-Stars, Manchester United, and Barcelona. They will then return to North London to host Monaco for the Emirates Cup on August 2.