Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are both set to make their Arsenal returns against Manchester City in the Community Shield.
Both players are now back in training following their respective breaks that followed England’s run to the World Cup semi-finals in North America and are in contention to feature in Sunday’s annual season curtain-raiser in Cardiff between the Premier League champions and FA Cup holders.
The same is also true of Rice’s fellow midfielder Martin Zubimendi, who was part of the Spain squad that won the tournament last month and is also now back with Arsenal.
Arteta confirms availability
“They will be available,” Arsenal boss Arteta said of Rice, Saka and Zubimendi at his pre-City press conference on Friday. “They trained with us today, they will train tomorrow. If they are in the condition we expect them to be, they will be involved.”
Timber still sidelined
Arsenal will remain without Jurrien Timber against City, with the versatile right-back having yet to recover from a persistent groin injury that has hampered him since March.
Arteta admitted earlier this week that the Dutch international - who missed the World Cup entirely after making a brief return in the Champions League final in May - was still “weeks away” from a return to action, a timeframe that appears to remain unchanged despite a more positive update.
Positive progress but no return date
“[He is] progressing really well,” Arteta said when asked for the latest on Timber before the showdown with a City side now coached by former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca. “On the pitch, we're ramping up certain actions. He's on a good trajectory but still a few weeks to go.”
Arteta added on Timber’s return: “We have to wait and see. He has to start to train with the group in the next week or so hopefully and see how he progresses from there.”
