Arsenal: Mikel Arteta drops Kai Havertz return hint in new five-man injury update | OneFootball

Gunners boss reveals latest on Declan Rice, Gabriel Martinelli, Jurrien Timber and Leandro Trossard before final home match of the season

Arsenal will make a late decision on the availability of all of Declan Rice, Gabriel Martinelli, Jurrien Timber and Leandro Trossard for the match against Newcastle, while Kai Havertz may return.

England midfielder Rice missed Sunday’s eventful 2-2 draw with champions Liverpool at Anfield with what was initially thought to be a hip issue, later reported as a hamstring problem, though was back at training earlier this week.

However, while forward Trossard was also taking part at an open session held at the Emirates on Wednesday after being substituted on Merseyside with his own hamstring injury, right-back Timber was absent and Gabriel Martinelli limped off early in another scare.

New injury concern: Gabriel Martinelli sparked fears after limping out of an open Arsenal training session

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Havertz has also joined in with parts of training this week and could be in line to play for the first time since the second leg of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup semi-final defeat by Newcastle on February 5, as the Gunners prepare to face Eddie Howe’s side for the fourth time this season.

The German forward was initially feared lost for the rest of the campaign after tearing his hamstring during a warm-weather winter training camp in Dubai, but has recovered quicker than expected and is hoping to feature in the final two matches, with Arsenal travelling to relegated Southampton on the final day.

“We are going to decide that tomorrow,” Arteta said at Friday’s pre-match press conference when asked if Havertz could play against Newcastle. “So he has done certain parts of the sessions in the past two days.

Arteta was full of praise for both Havertz himself and Arsenal’s medical staff for putting him in a position to return before the end of the season.

“Unbelievable,” he said. “I think his work rate, the work that he has done - a lot of credit to the all medical staff for all the work that they have done throughout the last few months, because between them they have been pushing each other.

Speedy comeback: Kai Havertz was initially ruled out for the rest of the season with a torn hamstring

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Quizzed on the availability of Rice, Martinelli, Timber and Trossard against Newcastle, Arteta added: “Again, they have done parts of the sessions, not complete sessions.

Arsenal will definitely be without Mikel Merino against Newcastle as the versatile Spaniard serves an automatic one-match ban after being sent off for receiving two yellow cards following his equaliser at Anfield last weekend.

Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Jesus and Takehiro Tomiyasu all remain long-term injury absentees, meanwhile.