Arsenal receive huge triple boost before Man Utd Premier League clash

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has provided a positive injury update on three Gunners players ahead of the new season.

Centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes has yet to feature in the club's pre-season tour after he suffered a 'tweak' to an injury while out in Asia. This is despite him returning for a behind-closed-doors friendly against Watford prior to the tour.

Meanwhile, Gabriel's defensive teammate Riccardo Calafiori is a new absentee to add to the injury list. The Italian played instead of the Brazilian against Newcastle United but needed to be substituted early in the second half.

And Jurrien Timber has also been unable to take part in any matches so far. Still recovering from an ankle procedure that was undertaken at the end of the previous campaign, the Dutchman has been replaced in the team by Benjamin White and Josh Nichols for matches.

But Arteta belives all three players should be ready ahead of Arsenal's Premier League opener in 2025/26 at Manchester United on August 17.

"I don't think so," he said when asked about injury doubts after Thursday's pre-season friendly defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

"If they evolve like they've been involved in the last few days, so Gabriel Magalhaes, Calafiori and Timber, the three of them will be available."

When asked about the Gunners' progress at this stage of pre-season, he added: "I'm very positive for everything that I've seen in the last 10 days, it gives me a lot of encouragement.

"We are ahead of what I was expecting in many areas, even though tonight's result leaves you a taste that I think is going to be very positive as well, to realise the margins that winning or winning have to be controlled as well and again, we go again.

"We'll start on Monday again with two great games at the Emirates to finalise the preparations and be ready for Old Trafford."

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