Arsenal news LIVE: £17.2m 'bid' for striker, Mikel Arteta delivers Timber injury update, Ivan Toney transfer latest | The Sun
ARSENAL manager Mikel Arteta revealed injured star Jurrien Timber is "flying" as he works his way back to full fitness.
But the Spaniard also admitted that is not enough to bring Timber back in the near future as he will still be out for a "long time".
Meanwhile, Arsenal have reportedly made a £17million bid for Santos striker Marcos Leonardo.
And we have the very latest news surrounding the Gunners' reported top target, Ivan Toney.
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Follow ALL the latest news from the Emirates with our live blog below…
- By Henry Tomlinson
'Not right context' – Arteta
Mikel Arteta has admitted that he did not play young players agianst PSV as it was "not the right context".
He said: "I don’t think it was the right context, making eight changes already to throw them in there against a team that hasn’t lost here almost in two years.
"I didn’t think it was the right moment and I went on to wait to see how the game developed, but it was too much for them and as well we have three little issues.
"We had to make the subs and then we had no room because we really wanted to play a game as well."
- By Henry Tomlinson
Nelson hails goalscorer
Reiss Nelson also hailed the impact Eddie Nketiah as he scored in the 1-1 draw against PSV.
He said: "Yeah well that’s my guy.
"He’s on me to try and assist him a lot so I always have it in the back of my mind if I can get an area where I know he can turn and get the shot off,
"I will play him and he done the business today.
“I think we can go very far, the fans should be excited and everyone should be excited to watch us play in the next round."
- By Henry Tomlinson
'I played with a smile' – Nelson
Reiss Nelson was happy with his performance against PSV last night and is determined to stay injury free.
I think my performance was good. I played with a smile on my face. That's the main thing for me. I think I could show my quality in a lot of different ways.
I got a lot of joy in the midfield coming inside and linking up with Ed, so it was really good. And as a whole, as a team, I think it was hard at certain times because we haven’t played with each other for a long time.
A lot of boys hadn't played for a long time as well. Ced, Mo, people like this. But we did well and it's good to get the point.
It's been a long time since I've played from the start, especially in the Champions League. It's a beautiful, beautiful occasion and I haven't played in long time.
So for me if I can just keep staying injury-free, that's one of my main things I said at the start of the season.
If I can stay injury free, being free with my movements and when I play, I have a smile on my face, I'm sure I can do a great job.
Reiss Nelson
- By Henry Tomlinson
Arteta demands no let-up
Mikel Arteta has told Arsenal not to let their standards slip – despite tonight’s clash at PSV being a dead rubber in a hectic period of fixtures
The Gunners boss told TNT Sports: “We have a really heavy schedule so we need to manage the loads of certain players and also reward certain players who give me a headache every single day.
“We need to continue with the same attitudes and behaviours. We will face a really good side today so need to be at our best.
“[I expect] the same level we have shown in the Champions League or better.
“There is no free hit in football. This is the Champions League and the teams are really good.”
- By Ian Tuckey
All hands on Dec in defence
Mikel Arteta was delighted with Declan Rice after using the England midfielder at centre-back as an experiment due to defensive injuries.
Rice came on for Cedric Soares after 62 minutes of last night’s 1-1 draw with PSV.
And with the Gunners long assured of winning their group, the £105million summer signing looked comfortable on the ball if a little uncomfortable when players ran at him.
Arteta said: “We are very short at the back and I really wanted to try if something happened how we’re going to resolve that situation.
“And I thought he was really good.”
- By Ian Tuckey
Arteta praises Arsenal attitude
Mikel Arteta thinks his group winners have been spot on during their return to the Champions League.
After a 1-1 draw at runners-up PSV, the Gunners' boss said: "Very, very positives, after six or seven years without being in the competition with a team that doesn’t have a lot of experience there I think we have competed very very well.
"I really like the approach of the team in every single game, the way we try to play and dominated the opponents, we have some big results and big experiences as well.
"Like what we had in Seville, or in Lens and even today, when we make that many changes as well, how the team can act… we have to be really happy, close that chapter, leave it until February and make sure in February when that chapter opens up against we are in the best possible place to compete against another top side."
- By Gary Stonehouse
Utd exit bad for English clubs left in
Manchester United's Champions League exit is bad news for all of England’s clubs – and it could potentially get worse.
United finished bottom of Group A, with FC Copenhagen ending it second while Galatasaray finished third to drop down into the Europa League.
And if Newcastle join them tomorrow by failing to make it out of the group stage when they face AC Milan then the Premier League is at serious risk of missing out on an extra Champions League place next season.
The group stages will change next term due to the introduction of a “Swiss-style” format, with four additional teams being added to take the number of clubs competing to 36.
Uefa will award two of the extra four places to the countries who have collectively performed best in Europe during the previous season.
That is worked out by Uefa’s association club coefficient table and an average score being produced by dividing the total number of points won throughout the year by the number of its clubs that were involved. Points are awarded for wins in the group stage and participation in the round of 16.
If this was applied last season, then England would have finished in the top two along with the Netherlands as the Premier League’s coefficient was boosted by Manchester City lifting the Champions League and West Ham’s Europa Conference League success.
There were eight Prem teams competing in Europe during this season – but United’s exit and Newcastle’s potential elimination could hit England’s association club coefficient average.
- By Emillia Hawkins
Webb verdict on Havertz controversy
Howard Webb says the ref had no choice under strict current rules but to erase Kai Havertz's equaliser at Aston Villa.
The PGMOL chief said: "The law states that any contact with an attacker's hand or arm, which leads to a goal immediately, has to be penalised.
"This is a really good on-field decision in that respect. The law requires him to penalise when he sees that contact on Kai Havertz's arm.
"It's not intentional, but it still has to be penalised.
"We see this kind of situation and yet seconds earlier it hits Matty Cash's arm and he doesn't get penalised – he can't be penalised because he has to commit a different kind of offence as a defender, naturally bigger or deliberately handball it.
"The law is constantly under review, maybe it will change, but in this circumstance the decision has been given as a disallowed goal, VAR checks the footage, and they see an angle where the ball hits Havertz's arm.
"Interestingly, if Eddie Nketiah had scored the goal, it would have stood. It only relates to the goalscorer – in this case Havertz."
- By Emillia Hawkins
Why Kai goal was ruled out
PGMOL chief Howard Webb has explained why Kai Havertz had a goal disallowed during Arsenal's Premier League clash with Aston Villa.
The Gunners suffered a 1-0 defeat to Unai Emery's side on Saturday, but they came agonisingly close to clinching a point late in the game.
Havertz thought he had scored from close range with just a few minutes to play, but the goal was immediately ruled out due to a handball.
Arsenal fans were left furious when a VAR check appeared to show defender Matty Cash handling the ball in the penalty area.
Many believed that VAR missed the second handball, but on the latest episode of Match Officials: Mic'd Up on Sky Sports refs chief Webb clarified the situation.
- By Ian Tuckey
Mikel salutes Rice display at centre-back
Mikel Arteta was delighted with Declan Rice after using the England midfielder at centre-back as an experiment due to defensive injuries.
Rice came on for Cedric Soares after 62 minutes of tonight's 1-1 draw with PSV.
And with the Gunners long assured of winning their group, the £105million summer signing looked comfortable on the ball if a little uncomfortable when players ran at him.
Arteta said: "We are very short at the back and I really wanted to try if something happened how we’re going to resolve that situation.
"And I thought he was really good."
- By Ian Tuckey
Arteta hails Gunners' group romp
Arsenal chief Mikel Arteta reckons his side have done their job perfectly in the champions League – so far.
Tonight's1-1 draw at a lively PSV Eindhoven meant the Gunners topped their group with 13 points from six games.
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"This chapter of the competition is done and we've done really well"
- By Ian Tuckey
Sub ratings
Martin Odegard (for Elneny, 62) – 6
Added a bit more creativity to the Arsenal midfield when he came on.
Declan Rice (for Cedric, 62) – 6
The midfielder played as a centre-back when he came on to replace Saliba, but he looked slightly out of place at times.
He certainly appears to be much more effective when playing in midfield.
Ben White (for Saliba, 62) – 6
Composed in defence when he came on.
- By Ian Tuckey
How Gunners' attack rated
Leandro Trossard – 5
Far from his best performance, Trossard struggled to create any real goalscoring opportunities.
He also gave the ball away cheaply on a number of occasions.
Eddie Nketiah – 7
After a slow start, Nketiah popped up at the perfect moment to score his first Champions League goal just before half time.
It was a brilliant finish straight into the bottom-right corner, leaving goalkeeper Walter Benítez with no chance of making the save.
Reiss Nelson – 6
An impressive performance from the winger. He worked his socks off throughout and was able to win the ball in dangerous areas to break up play.
Nelson also got the assist for Nketiah’s opening goal with a great pass.
- By Ian Tuckey
Midfield ratings
Jorginho – 6
The Arsenal captain of the evening put on a composed performance but made the odd error in midfield.
Mohamed Elneny – 6
He appeared very shaky in the early stages, losing the ball on two occasions in the opening five minutes.
However, he grew into the game and put on a composed display in midfield, even hitting the post after making a positive run in the first half.
Kai Havertz – 6
The midfielder has massively grown in confidence in recent weeks, but this wasn't his best display.
He lacked ideas when breaking forward and sometimes slowed down the attack.
- By Ian Tuckey
Defence ratings – continued
Gabriel Magalhaes – 6
He made a crucial block in the eighth minute to keep Ricardo Pepi’s close-range strike at bay.
But he had Arsenal fans on edge just 10 minutes later after mis-timing a block which almost led to an opening goal for PSV.
Jakub Kiwior – 5
The defender had a quiet game out on the left and gave away a silly free kick on the edge of the box in the second half after a miscommunication with Jorginho.
He also struggled to handle Johan Bakayoko at times.
- By Ian Tuckey
Gunners ratings – defence
Aaron Ramsdale – 7
The goalkeeper has understandably been low in confidence in recent months, but he was on form this evening.
He made some excellent saves and couldn’t have done anything to stop PSV’s goal.
Cedric Soares – 5
He hasn’t started for the Gunners in a while, but Cedric didn’t look too out of place in the first half.
The defender lost the ball on the odd occasion, but he also attempted some great passes and important blocks.
However, he was arguably at fault for PSV’s equaliser after failing to track back in time to stop Yorbe Vertessen.
William Saliba – 6
He managed to get back to make a heroic last-ditch tackle and keep the score at 0-0 early in the game with the help of Gabriel.
However, his mis-timed attempt at a block led to PSV’s opener.
- By Ian Tuckey
Arsenal confirm cruise to winning group
A deserved draw underlined the Gunners' status as comfortable winners of champions league Group B.
Arseanl defender Jakub Kiwior had a late headed winner ruled out.
But Eindhoven could easily have snatched a win too.
And the Dutchman went through to the KO stages as runners-up
Follow reaction on our match blog HERE
- By Ian Tuckey
Result: PSV 1 Arsenal 1
Follow all the live action HERE
- By Ian Tuckey
Latest odds to win Champions league
Gunners fans watching tonight's dead rubber might be tempted by these odds for winning the tournament.
Arsenal are fourth favourites with Betfair – while Manchester City are the 2/1 top tip.
ODDS:
Man City – 2/1
Bayern Munich – 4/1
Real Madrid – 13/2
Arsenal – 15/2
Barcelona, Paris St-G – 14/1
Atletico Madrid – 18/1
Inter – 22/1
Dortmund – 33/1
Napoli – 40/1
Newcastle – 50/1 - By Ian Tuckey
Latest: PSV 1 Arsenal 1
Yorbe Vertessen deservedly, and superbly, levelled for Eindhoven on 51 minutes.
Ricardo Pepi fed the uncapped Belgian winger for a special finish inside the far corner.
pepi himself almost squeezed through soon after that.
Follow all the live action HERE
- By Ian Tuckey
GOAL: PSV 1 Arsenal 1
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- By Ian Tuckey
Latest: PSV 0 Arsenal 1
Eindhoven are building slowly early in the second period as the Gunners round off their successful Champions League group campaign.
Follow all the live action HERE
- By Ian Tuckey
HT: PSV 0 Arsenal 1
The Gunners are slightly fortunate to be leading Eindhoven at the interval.
Follow all the live action HERE
- By Ian Tuckey
Latest: PSV 0 Arsenal 1
Eddie Nketiah 's clinical opener on 42 minutes – great control with his first touch, laser shot with his second – perhaps flatters the Gunners.
PSV have had some reasonable chances, in contrast to Arsenal threatening little.
Follow all the live action HERE
- By Ian Tuckey
GOAL! PSV 0 Arsenal 1
Follow all the live action HERE
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