Arsenal are handed triple injury boost as Mikel Arteta provides updates on three Gunners stars – and ponders another teenage Carabao Cup debut

Mikel Arteta has been handed a triple injury boost ahead of a gruelling run of away games while the Arsenal boss is considering giving another teenage goalkeeper his debut.

Defensive duo Gabriel and Jurrien Timber both limped off during Arsenal’s draw against Liverpool on Sunday while Gunners captain Martin Odegaard has been out with an ankle injury since September.

Arteta was positive about his key trio ahead of four away trips starting at Preston in the League Cup on Wednesday before clashes at Newcastle, Inter Milan and Chelsea.

‘We are still assessing Gabriel but it doesn’t look bad at all,’ said Arteta. ‘He was much better the next day so hopefully he will be fine. He has had some tests.

‘Jurrien is fine. He was very tired, he had been out for a while and could not continue the game but there is no new injury there at all. He could not continue so we decided to make a very safe call. But he was fine.’

Defender Gabriel went off injured in the game and Mikel Arteta has since provided an update on his condition

Jurrien Timber is said to be ‘fine’ with Arteta revealing he was ‘just tired’ against the visitors

Mail Sport revealed that Odegaard was ramping up his recovery and due to return to training on the grass this week and Arteta confirmed he was hopeful his skipper would return before the international break.

‘He’s been on the grass for a few weeks, but there is still a few boxes to tick,’ he added. ‘How fast we can do that last stage of the rehab is a question we’ll have to answer once we have players around him and he starts competing with the team. He hasn’t done that yet.’

There was, however, bad news for Riccardo Calafiori who looks set to be sidelined for ‘a few weeks’ after his injury against Shakhtar Donetsk. 

Arteta is considering handing a debut to young goalkeeper Tommy Setford at Deepdale on Wednesday night.

The Ajax academy product, whose brother Charlie also plays for the Dutch side and whose father Chris is a professional golfer, joined in the summer only to miss most of the season with a hip injury.

The Spaniard revealed that midfielder and captain Martin Odegaard is in the final stage of his rehabilitation

He is also is considering handing a debut to young goalkeeper Tommy Setford on Wednesday

He suggested players who ‘behave in a certain manner’ will be rewarded with game time

If he is to play, it will be the second round in a row that Arteta has fielded a young keeper after Jack Porter started against Bolton in their previous game.

‘We brought Tommy because we know he’s got the qualities we’re looking for with our goalkeeping area,’ said Arteta. ‘Unfortunately he’s been injured so he hasn’t really played.

‘It’s not a question about age, it’s that if they play it’s because they deserve to the same as the rest of the players.

‘At the end of the day we have to reward the people who, each day, they behave in a certain manner and they have the level to play in the manner we want to play in and if that is the case, I don’t care if they are players from the academy, youth players or seniors, they will play.’