Arsenal tackle Serie A facet Atalanta on Thursday night of their subsequent all-important fixture of an action-packed soccer calendar, however there are a couple of considerations for supervisor Mikel Arteta heading into the competition.

Atalanta vs Arsenal – staff information and damage updates

Arteta’s facet journey to the Gewiss Stadium in superb temper, having simply taken all of the spoils of their North London Derby conflict away to fierce rivals Tottenham – regardless of being and not using a host of key gamers throughout their 1-0 victory.

Defender Gabriel Magalhaes rose highest to thump a header previous Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario from shut vary – feeding off an in-swinging nook – which was finally sufficient to present Arsenal three factors and all of the bragging rights on derby day.

Beating Ange Postecoglou’s facet will get the primary of three very tough video games out of the way in which, however a totally totally different check now looms in Arsenal’s first Champions League sport of the 2024/2025 marketing campaign.

Atalanta had been the facet to finish Bayer Leverkusen’s unprecedented unbeaten run final season, handing Xabi Alonso’s league champions their first and solely 2023/24 defeat with a 3-0 victory over them within the Europa League last, so Gian Piero Gasperini’s facet are to not be underestimated.

Heading into the tie, Arteta could have star midfielder Declan Rice again within the staff, and studies recommend that Bukayo Saka is more likely to be out there for Arsenal towards Atalanta, having gone off towards Spurs with cramp and nothing too severe.

Takehiro Tomiyasu stays out with a knee damage, although, as does summer season signing Mikel Merino. The latter is but to function after arriving from Actual Sociedad, with Merino fracturing his shoulder in coaching. The Spaniard is not anticipated to be again for weeks because of this, and query marks encompass a couple of of his star teammates as effectively.

Certainly, there are doubts over the provision of Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf), Riccardo Calafiori (calf) and captain Martin Odegaard (ankle) – who all missed the derby by damage.

Ornstein suggests Odegaard has “vital” Arsenal damage

Zinchenko, Calafiori and Odegaard might miss Atalanta because of this, however we should await official affirmation from Arteta.

Talking on The Athletic’s podcast this week, dependable journalist David Ornstein shared his view on the latter’s ankle downside after listening to from the Arsenal boss. Ornstein suggests Odegaard has suffered a “vital” damage at Arsenal, after he was hauled off throughout Norway’s 2-1 win over Austria within the Nations League final Monday.

“He was by no means going to make it, it was what Arteta stated. And it appears to be like like a major damage, however look, we do not know,” stated Ornstein.

“The final I heard, they did not have full readability from the scan nonetheless, due to the extent of the swelling, however the extent of the swelling considerations you, in the event you’re an Arsenal fan.

“As a result of, perhaps it could possibly be fairly powerful, however there’s a world break arising as effectively, in order that they’ll be praying that their creator in chief, their captain, is okay, however they may also should cope with out him if it will be a chronic absence.”

Arteta sparked hope amongst supporters when the Spaniard refused to rule Odegaard out of the North London Derby on Sunday, however he wasn’t included within the squad in spite of everything and stays a doubt for Thursday’s 20:00 kick off.

The £240,000-per-week star is certainly one of Arsenal’s most important gamers, and Arteta will likely be eager to get him again out on the sector as quickly as doable.