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Arsenal Boss Mikel Arteta Offers Worrying Fitness Update Ahead Of Carabao Cup Clash

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta fitness update

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has provided a worrying fitness update ahead of Wednesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg fixture against Chelsea.

The two London rivals face off home and away in the final four of this year’s EFL Cup.

Wednesday’s first-leg will be at Stamford Bridge, before the return leg at the Emirates on Tuesday, 3 February.

Arsenal beat Championship club Portsmouth 4-1 away from home on Sunday in the FA Cup third round to keep them in the hunt for four trophies this season.

The result followed the massive news that star winger Bukayo Saka has signed a new contract with the club.

But it’s not all positive at Arsenal, with the treatment room particularly overcrowded.

Arteta Provides Worrying Arsenal Fitness Update On Several Stars

Looking ahead to Wednesday’s all-London Carabao Cup clash, Arteta discussed several stars’ fitness – and it’s not good news.

Defensive pair Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie were both absent from the win against Pompey at the weekend.

Hincapie’s injury, suffered against Liverpool, is believed to be a minor hamstring problem.

Neither will return against Chelsea, either, according to Arteta.

“Those two are not available yet,” confirmed the Spaniard on Tuesday.

No timeline has been provided for Hincapie, but Arteta did have some positive news on Calafiori.

“It’s a muscle injury,” he added.

“He’s progressing, but we don’t know. I think it will matter for a few weeks probably, but we don’t know exactly when.”

Along with Hincapie and Calafiori, Gunners boss Arteta also suggested his side could still be without William Saliba and Leandro Trossard for the Chelsea game, with both missing at Portsmouth.

Meanwhile, both Max Dowman and Cristhian Mosquera remain out after long-term injuries.

“Max [Dowman] is very similar to Mosquera. Very similar injuries, very similar time frames.

“Both evolving really well, but they’re not training yet, so they’re still a few weeks away.”

Kai Havertz Could Be Fit To Face Former Club Chelsea

However, in better news for Arsenal fans, they could see former Chelsea man Kai Haverts start against his old club.

German international Havertz made his long-awaited return on Sunday, playing 21 minutes off the bench at Fratton Park.

“Obviously we missed him a lot,” Arteta said.

“A year is a long time in football, but as you said, the way he’s come back, he looks really fit, really confident.

“He’s such an intelligent player that straight away, he is someone that connects with the players really naturally.

“We have to manage his minutes now, but he had a good block of 20-25 minutes the other day. He trained really well again today, it’s now a case of building his robustness and make sure that he’s available for every game.”

Havertz had not featured since the opening game of the season, when he suffered a serious knee injury against Manchester United.

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