MIKEL ARTETA has confirmed Martin Odegaard was sent home ill just hours before Arsenal’s clash against Wolves.
The Gunners will be hoping to pick up three points and keep the pressure on title rivals Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.
Arteta has been left with a slim squad for the clash against the West Midlands strugglers.
He has been left without his captain and star midfielder, Odegaard, due to illness.
The Norweigian ace was ill this morning and was sent home from the team hotel ahead of the Premier League fixture.
It was also confirmed that midfielder Mikel Merino has also picked up a knock and will miss the game.
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Arteta said: “Martin was ill this morning and we had to send him back – he was nowhere near fit to play.
“Mikel as well, because he got a knock and couldn’t make it yesterday for training.”
The manager has had to pick both goalkeepers Neto and Jack Porter on his bizarre looking bench.
He has also had to name four left-backs Jakub Kiwior, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Riccardo Calafiori and Kieran Tierney among the substitutes.
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Experienced players Jorginho and Raheem Sterling were also on the bench.
However, there was youngster Nathan Butler-Oyedeji in the substitutes.
The striker, 22, has scored six goals and assisted five more in seven Premier League 2 appearances this season.
He did make his Champions League debut against Dinamo Zagreb in on Wednesday during Arsenal’s 3-0 win.
William Saliba did make his return to the starting line-up against Wolves after recovering from injury.
However, the Gunners were still without star players such as Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Saka is not expected back until April due to a thigh injury, while Jesus suffered an ACL injury that could keep him out until November.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
