Odegaard knock adds to Arsenal injury list before Leeds return

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Martin Odegaard has become Arsenal's latest fitness concern after picking up an ankle knock during Norway's 2-1 defeat to Portugal in the Nations League on Sunday night.

The Arsenal captain was on the end of a late challenge from Bernardo Silva after he had already played the ball away, and he confronted the Portugal midfielder furiously at the final whistle, telling him the tackle "doesn't belong on a football field".

Odegaard was seen limping after the match and admitted the issue afterwards. "I hope not, but I got a knock on my ankle there," he said when asked whether he would have to withdraw from the squad. "So it probably won't be good tonight."

Norway face Wales on Thursday before a rematch with Portugal next weekend, and the Standard reports that Odegaard is hopeful of avoiding a withdrawal from the squad.

Havertz and Rice back at London Colney

Kai Havertz is already back with Arsenal after limping out of Germany's Nations League draw with the Netherlands last Thursday, caught by a high challenge from Quinten Timber — brother of Gunners defender Jurrien.

The German Football Association confirmed a "muscle strain" when Havertz left the camp on Friday. He will undergo further assessment with Arsenal's medical staff, though the Standard reports there is optimism the injury is not a long-term one.

Declan Rice, meanwhile, dropped out of the England squad last Monday as one of five withdrawals and will miss the Nations League triple-header against Czechia (twice) and Croatia. Per the same report, Rice is not believed to be carrying an injury and is instead being rested at Arsenal ahead of a demanding run of fixtures.

Defensive picture clearing — except for Saliba

Piero Hincapie was omitted from Ecuador's squad for this window, with new head coach Marcelo Gallardo confirming the decision was down to injury. The defender has started just once for Arsenal this season and was left out entirely for the Carabao Cup win over Ipswich.

Ben White has been sidelined since sustaining a groin issue in the 2-0 win at Sunderland on September 12. Mikel Arteta had suggested before the Brighton trip that the defender was in good shape — "Ben is all good, we have another training session this afternoon, so very positive about everybody" — but White was not in the matchday squad at the Amex, leaving Rice and Martin Zubimendi to share right-back duties after Jurrien Timber went off.

Cristhian Mosquera has missed five matches since being forced off against Aston Villa on August 31, although he travelled with the squad to Brighton and watched the warm-ups from the touchline. William Saliba remains the long-term absentee, out since July with a back injury that does not require surgery. He has been named in Arsenal's Champions League squad, but a return may not arrive until after the November international break.

Arsenal's 3-0 loss at Brighton ended a seven-game winning start to the campaign, and the extended international break means a 12-day wait before Leeds visit the Emirates on October 10 — a window that should allow most of Arteta's absentees to be back in contention.