Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is set to return from an ankle injury in “a matter of weeks”, boss Mikel Arteta has said.
The 25-year-old has missed the Gunners’ last three games after sustaining the problem on international duty with Norway on September 9.
News of Odegaard’s imminent availability comes as a boost to the north London club, who were denied a statement win at champions Manchester City deep into stoppage time on Sunday, but Arteta insisted the Norway skipper is unlikely to be back before next month’s international break.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s Carabao Cup third-round tie against Bolton, the Spaniard said: “I think it will be a matter of weeks, but how long exactly I cannot tell.
“We might get a surprise but I think it’s unlikely he’ll be back before the international break.”
Arteta said full-back Oleksandr Zinchenko would remain sidelined for “a few more weeks”.
The Gunners have suffered setbacks to their squad after Sunday’s draw with City, according to Arteta. Riccardo Calafiori, David Raya, Jurrien Timber and Gabriel Martinelli received treatment on Sunday.
Arsenal were accused of “dark arts” by John Stones and Kyle Walker after Sunday but Arteta suggested his side picked up legitimate injuries over the course of the match.
“Unfortunately, yes there will be a few players not available. (On Wednesday) you will find out… as soon as I give the line-up,” he added. “We have to wait on one of them.
“I always prefer the facts to words or supposing things. Let’s see who is available (on Wednesday) and then we can talk about dark arts or these things or if it’s a reality.”
The Arsenal boss was also quizzed about his defensive tactics after the visitors went down to 10 men at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, and said he would have been “very thick” if he had not learned from previous mistakes.
Leandro Trossard kicked the ball away and was sent off for a second bookable offence just before half-time, with the Gunners 2-1 up.
Arteta’s side sat back and soaked up pressure for the vast majority of the second half before Stones grabbed a dramatic equaliser for the hosts in the eighth minute of stoppage time.
“We had to play the game that we had to play,” he said.
“The first 15 minutes, we couldn’t. They played 30 seconds with 10 men (when Rodri went off injured). Look what they did (they defended). It’s normal what they did.”
Recalling Arsenal’s heavy defeat at Manchester City in 2021, when former captain Granit Xhaka was dismissed, he continued: “Unfortunately we’ve been in the same situation. We were in that same situation with Granit and when we lost 5-0.
“So we’d better learn. If not I would be very thick.”
Wednesday’s clash at home to Bolton could be an opportunity for academy duo Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
“Those two (Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly) are really pushy and demanding,” added Arteta, whose side face Leicester in the Premier League on Saturday.
“For sure we want to win the game (against Bolton). We have to start with the first game and understand who the best team is to beat Bolton.”
