Mikel Arteta has conceded that both Mikel Merino and Jurrien Timber face a race to be fit before the end of the season in a major injury blow for Arsenal. The pair have been absent for weeks as they recovered from respective foot and ankle injuries, but it was hoped that they may be back to bolster Arteta’s squad for the final few games of the season.
Although Merino was back on the grass at Arsenal’s training base this week, his manager confirmed that neither he nor Timber are under consideration to feature in Sunday’s crucial Premier League clash with West Ham. Confirming that he had no fresh injury concerns otherwise, Arteta said that the pair’s recovery had to be “so smooth and quick” for either to feature before a campaign that will conclude with the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday 30 May – with Timber’s issue, particularly, more complex than first thought.
“That has probably been the most difficult thing to manage, with the player, with myself as well,” Arteta said. “We didn't expect it to take so long and he's not fit to play.”
A successful week for the club saw Arsenal extend their advantage to five points at the top of the Premier League table and progress past Atletico Madrid into a first Champions League final for 20 years. Manchester City will play first this weekend against Brentford and still have a game in hand on their title rivals, but Arsenal will be crowned champions provided they win their last three games.
Relegation-threatened West Ham are perhaps the likeliest of those remaining opponents to knock Arsenal off course, and Arteta has warned his side to remain fully focused at the London Stadium on Sunday. “I was in a really high emotional state after the game,” Arteta admitted of the Atletico win. “You could tell what it means to the supporters, the staff. Straight after that, my concentration and attention was on West Ham. We talked immediately after the game about that we earned it, we have time to prepare and get ready for the final. But now the focus, the attention and the detail has to be put into West Ham.”
