Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Round of 16 - Japan v Croatia - Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah, Qatar - December 5, 2022 Japan's Takehiro Tomiyasu in action with Croatia's Luka Modric REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
Arsenal have been handed an injury boost ahead of their upcoming Premier League clash against Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Lowdown: Arsenal back in action
The north London club returned to Premier League action on Monday following the recent World Cup as they beat West Ham United 3-1 at the London Stadium.
The Gunners went in at halftime 1-0 down thanks to a penalty from Said Benrahma, only for goals from Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Martinelli to secure a convincing victory for Mikel Arteta’s side.
As Arsenal prepare for an arguably tougher task with a trip to Brighton, the Gunners have welcomed one key player back to training.
The Latest: Tomiyasu returns to training
According to a recent report from The Sun, Gunners full-back Takehiro Tomiyasu has made a return to training following his time playing in the World Cup with Japan.
During his time in Qatar, the defender played in three of Japan’s four games, including the full 120 minutes of their round of 16 clash against Croatia where they lost on penalties.
The Verdict: Good news for Arteta
Having made 17 senior appearances for Arsenal this season across the Premier League and the Europa League, it’s clear that Tomiyasu is an important squad figure for Arteta, who will surely be pleased to see him back in training.
With the 24-year-old, whose presence in the squad has previously been described as “massive” by journalist Connor Humm, showing his versatility by playing in both full-back positions this season, he is an incredibly useful figure for the manager.
Is Takehiro Tomiyasu underrated?
Yes
No
This will give Arteta the chance to rotate and rest one of his other full-back options to keep them fresh and to give Tomiyasu, who has been hailed for his “magnificent” performances for the Gunners in the past by journalist Josh Bunting, the opportunity to get some minutes under his belt.
Looking ahead to the clash on the south coast, potentially having the Japan international available to play will undoubtedly be a big boost for the north London club as they look to continue their winning run.
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