Mikel Arteta provides discouraging injury update on 3 Arsenal stars ahead of West Ham Carabao Cup clash

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has provided a fresh update on the injured trio of Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus, and Thomas Partey ahead of their Carabao Cup clash against West Ham United. The Gunners will take on West Ham at the London Stadium on Wednesday, November 1, in the Round of 16 of the tournament.

Gabriel Jesus suffered a muscle injury during Arsenal's 2-1 victory over Sevilla in the UEFA Champions League last week while Thomas Partey was injured in training in the build-up to the encounter.

Martin Odegaard, meanwhile, is dealing with a slight hip problem which kept him out of the 5-0 victory over Sheffield United in the Premier League last time out.

Speaking to the press ahead of the Carabao Cup clash against West Ham United, Mikel Arteta stated that the Norwegian's spell on the sidelines will continue.

"We rested him the other day, so it’s how long we rest him for and how we manage him now with the minutes and the rhythm that he needs as well to be at his best," the Arsenal boss said.

"So, yeah, we had the opportunity to do it and we didn’t use him at the end, that was a good upload for him. It’s not only that, but there’s also a lot of things that you have to do. It’s impossible to play with no niggles in football, and at this level, when you have games every three days, it’s impossible."

Mikel Arteta went on to comment on Thomas Partey and Gabriel Jesus' availability for the game against West Ham United. The tactician explained that the duo won't make the trip to the London Stadium but failed to give an indication about when they will be ready to return to action.

"With him [Jesus], I’m honestly not going to put any because I did it once and got it totally wrong," the Arsenal manager continued. "We need to be cautious because we need to treat it in the right way. He’s already pushing everybody and wants to be back as quickly as possible, and we need him, so that’s great."

"I think he [Partey] will be out for weeks – I don’t know how long but he’s got another appointment today and we will see more after that. It is a big concern because when Thomas is fit and available and he’s been part of the team, we’ve seen the results and the impact that he had," he added.

How are Mikel Arteta and Arsenal performing in the 2023-24 season?

After missing out on the Premier League title last season, Arsenal have started the 2023-24 campaign with even more determination and resolve. They are one of only two unbeaten sides in the division, alongside Tottenham Hotspur, and are second in the standings with 24 points after 10 games.

Mikel Arteta's men have also had a promising start to their European campaign, winning two of their first three Champions League fixtures. They currently sit atop Group B with six points.

They are also still active in the EFL Cup where they'll clash with West Ham on Wednesday. It remains to be seen if they'll end the campaign with silverware.