Arsenal's Fabio Vieira during the warm up before the match
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has received an early Team News boost as he has confirmed that Fabio Vieira is OK to play Sporting after illness.
The Lowdown: Sore throat…
Vieira has been suffering with a sore throat recently, and subsequently was not able to take the planned presser ahead of the game on Wednesday evening.
This comes after Kieran Tierney was ruled out of the squad through illness, sparking fears that Vieira could face the same fate.
The Latest: Vieira OK
Speaking to the media in his pre-game press conference ahead of the UEFA Europa League first leg clash, Arteta has since confirmed that Vieira is ‘OK’ to play after the initial scare:
“Fabio is OK, yes.”
The Verdict: Boost
The news that Vieira is OK after illness will come as a boost to Arteta, considering that he is dealing with a number of first-team absentees in his squad.
Along with Tierney, both Leandro Trossard and Eddie Nketiah have also been ruled out of the game through injury, leaving Arsenal somewhat short in numbers, especially in attacking areas with Gabriel Jesus’ lingering injury on top of that.
When Vieira has stepped in, he has generally done well, with two goals and five assists in 25 appearances in total over all competitions so far this season (Transfermarkt), and Arteta has previously hailed him as a ‘tremendous player’ who gives him ‘big headaches’ in terms of team selection.
Moreover, the Spaniard also praised the inside knowledge that Vieira has given him and his team on Sporting from his time playing for FC Porto in Portugal, which could prove useful in gaining an advantage ahead of the second leg at the Emirates Stadium.
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