Arteta gives fresh Zubimendi and Hincapie injury update after Lille win
Arsenal eased past LOSC Lille 3-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday night, with a second half triple substitution helping spark goals from Jurrien Timber, Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka. But in his post match press conference, Mikel Arteta also delivered an update on two first team absentees, Martin Zubimendi and Piero Hincapie, while paying an emotional tribute to club icon Ken Friar following his death.
Zubimendi 'much, much better', Hincapie weeks away
Asked directly about the pair, Arteta struck a more encouraging tone on Zubimendi than Hincapie. “Zubi is much, much better,” he said. “Piero is improving, but as I said, he looks more significant. I think it will be a matter of weeks, I think. We don’t know exactly how many.”
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Who's out, who's back and what it means for the next two games.
On Zubimendi specifically, Arteta added: “We have to see the moment he goes on that pitch, how he deals with the pain and still some small feelings that he will have, basically.” The comments suggest Zubimendi is closer to a return than Hincapie, though Arteta stopped short of giving a precise timeline for either player.
Arteta pays tribute to Ken Friar
Before taking questions on the match, Arteta opened with a lengthy tribute to Ken Friar, Arsenal’s life president, who passed away. “It’s a really sad day for everybody that loves Arsenal Football Club,” Arteta said. “I had the privilege, the honour to meet him, to spend time with him, to learn from him.”
He continued: “There are people in football clubs that they have a role and they fulfil a role. And there are other people that they create an identity, they create values and they have a vision to create a future for the football club. I think the legacy that Ken is going to leave to all of us is going to be forever.”
Myles Lewis-Skelly and the bench impact
Arteta also praised Myles Lewis-Skelly, who operated at left back and drew visible encouragement from the coaching staff as he left the pitch. “He was brilliant,” Arteta said. “The way he competed, the way he carried himself, he was very, very consistent, except for one action in the game. Myles at this level, he’s a player with a huge impact on the team.”
The manager also addressed his decision to send on three substitutes at once for the second game running, with the move again producing an immediate goal. “I felt it, that it was the right moment to do it,” he said, adding with a smile that he would “do that more now.”
Saka, who came off the bench to score and assist despite feeling unwell in the buildup, also drew praise. “He wasn’t feeling that good yesterday and today because he had a sort of illness,” Arteta revealed. “He wasn’t ready to start, but he really was keen to contribute to the team.”
Attention now turns to the visit of Nottingham Forest, with Arteta confirming focus was already shifting away from Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise, who will be suspended for Arsenal’s next Champions League meeting with the German side. Quotes via football.london.
