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Latest on Lacazette & Tomiyasu ahead of Chelsea trip

By on April 19, 2022

takehiro-tomiyasu-arsenal

Mikel Arteta has provided an update on the fitness of Alexandre Lacazette and Takehiro Tomiyasu ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Chelsea on Wednesday night.

Lacazette missed the frustrating 1-0 defeat to Southampton at St Mary’s on Saturday afternoon after testing positive for covid. Arteta says the striker will be assessed today to see if he’ll be available to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge tomorrow.

Tomiyasu hasn’t featured for Arsenal since January due to a series of niggling calf issues. The right-back has been eased back into training in recent weeks as Arteta was keen not to trigger another setback.

However, it appears the Japan international is on the cusp of making his return to action as the boss confirmed at his pre-match press conference this afternoon that Tomiyasu could be back in the squad against Chelsea.

Arteta and his coaching staff will make a final decision over his availability after training today but the boss says Tomiyasu is ‘very, very close’ to making his return.

The boss is quoted by Football London as saying today:

Lacazette update
With Lacazette, we have to see him today to see whether he will be available with the team.

Tomiyasu to return?
Tomiyasu is very, very close. We will decide today after the training session [if he’ll make the squad]. Whether this game is going to be too early for him or not, again we will decide it today after the training session.

Although Lacazette’s goal return has been shocking this season, it’s still important he’s available to face Chelsea tomorrow. Eddie Nketiah isn’t the answer to our striker problems and we desperately need a result at Stamford Bridge.

It would also be a big boost to have Tomiyasu available again – although I think it’s highly unlikely he’d start tomorrow even if he’s deemed fit. Arteta will no doubt ease him back with a substitute appearance first.

Arsenal make the short trip across London off the back of three consecutive defeats and sit three points adrift of fourth-placed Tottenham so we need a positive result against Chelsea to boost our top four hopes.