Arsenal’s injury crisis shows no signs of abating, with Brazilian star Gabriel Martinelli now undergoing an MRI scan due to ongoing calf pain. The Gunners are preparing for their upcoming Premier League clash against AFC Bournemouth on Saturday after the international break, but manager Mikel Arteta may find himself without several key players.
Bukayo Saka has sustained a hamstring issue while representing England, while Kai Havertz withdrew from the Germany squad due to a knee injury. Additionally, captain Martin Ødegaard has been ruled out until November, further complicating Arteta’s selection options. There are also concerns surrounding Ben White, Jurrien Timber, and Oleksandr Zinchenko as they approach the match against the Cherries.
Martinelli, who recently came off the bench in Brazil’s 2-1 victory over Chile, will miss the national team’s clash against Peru as he seeks to address his injury. The Brazilian medical staff are monitoring his condition closely in the coming days.
While Martinelli has had a slow start to the season, former player and pundit Darren Bent remains optimistic about his return to form. Speaking on talkSPORT, Bent highlighted the importance of confidence in a player’s performance, noting, “That’s the biggest thing – confidence – in any football. It doesn’t matter where you play, what level you play, if you haven’t got the confidence, then your performances are going to drop.”
He further emphasized Martinelli’s potential, stating, “When he hit 15 [goals in 2022/23], he was magnificent. But can you back it up again? Because to go two seasons with those amount of goals and those amount of assists is difficult to do. I believe by Christmas time, he will be absolutely flying.”
As Arsenal navigates this challenging period, the hope remains that Martinelli and the other injured players will return soon to bolster their campaign as they strive for success this season.