Ahead of Manchester United’s trip to Premier League challengers Arsenal in midweek, Ruben Amorim and Mikel Arteta both provided a few intriguing injury updates.
For the first time since joining in a £52 million deal from LOSC Lille, Leny Yoro could be in the Man United squad.
Ironically enough, the Frenchman’s long-awaited debut could come against the side whom he fractured that metatarsal all those months ago.
Ruben Amorim also confirmed that Bruno Fernandes is available – the Manchester United captain was spotted donning an ice pack on his ankle after the 4-0 thrashing of Everton – while Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw are in line to feature again, potentially from the off with Lisandro Martinez suspended.
Amorim’s opposite number, however, was a little less positive.
Mikel Arteta admits that both Thomas Partey and Gabriel Magalhaes – two of the first names on his Arsenal team sheet – may be facing a race against time if they are to be passed fit for Man United’s viist to the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal duo Gabriel and Thomas Partey could miss Manchester United
Partey was missing in Saturday’s 5-2 win at West Ham, replaced by Jorginho. Gabriel, meanwhile, lasted only until half-time.
The Brazil international – a massive presence in both boxes as he took his tally to four goals for the season at the London Stadium – would be a colossal loss for an Arsenal outfit only six points above a Man United team seemingly on the up again under Amorim.
Gabriel has started every one of Arsenal’s 13 Premier League matches so far in 2024/25.
“We are going to have a meeting this afternoon,” Arteta says during his Tuesday press conference when pressed on Partey and Gabriel’s fitness. “We have done the training session. We have monitored [the injury doubts] and obviously kept them away from certain activities.
“After that meeting, I will decide will one is fit and available, and who is out.”
Gabriel’s recent Instagram post – and that ‘see you on Wednesday’ message – appeared to hint that his injury was not quite as serious as first feared. Yet, Arteta insists that this will be a decision made not by the player but by the medical staff.
And, regardless of how determined Gabriel is to feature from the off, he will not do so if that brings a risk of a more long-term absence.
“They all want to play,” Arteta adds with a laugh. “No [you should not read anything into Gabriel’s Instagram post].”
Ruben Amorim says Leny Yoro could be involved at the Emirates
Man United can cut the gap between themselves and Arsenal to just three points on Wednesday.
If Partey and Gabriel are indeed out, a suddenly in-form frontline of Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund and/or Joshua Zirkzee – with Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo providing the ammunition – will be quietly confident of a first win at the Emirates since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer masterminded that 2019 FA Cup triumph over Unai Emery in North London.
“We have one more training session to see [who we have available],” Amorim said during his own press conference. “Maybe Leny Yoro is going to be in the squad. I felt he’s in a good moment now, his fitness is better, so I think he is going to be in the squad.
“We didn’t have too many training [sessions] together. He’s training not alone but with a small group of players. He’s really fast but he’s a modern defender and that is good when you want to press high.
“I think he is a special talent, but we have to be careful in this first moment. You have a lot of strikers, especially in this league, one against one. I think he can manage that. He’s very good with the ball so I’m really excited but we have to be careful.
“We have to manage the load and the minutes in the beginning but I’m really excited to see Leny Yoro playing. The rest [of the squad], I have to see.
“Some players were tired [against Everton] so we have to assess tomorrow in training.”
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