Arsenal is still celebrating their big 1-0 win over rivals Tottenham on Sunday. Despite missing key players like Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, and Riccardo Calafiori, the team put on a strong defensive display, moving within two points of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League. After the game, Mikel Arteta praised his team for adapting to the challenges and showing great hunger and courage to win, especially with so many important players unavailable.
Now, Arsenal’s focus shifts to their Champions League match against Atalanta in Italy on Thursday. Atalanta has had a mixed start to their season, winning two and losing two of their first four league games. Arsenal faces potential injury issues, with Odegaard, Calafiori, and Oleksandr Zinchenko all in doubt for the game due to various injuries. If Calafiori and Zinchenko can’t play, Arteta will need to decide who will start at left-back, with Jurrien Timber having played the last two matches but still regaining fitness after a long injury absence.
This situation could provide an opportunity for Jakub Kiwior, who has struggled to break into the team this season. Kiwior has only played 45 minutes of football this season, and with both Calafiori and Zinchenko injured, he might get a chance to start against Atalanta. A strong performance in this match could help Kiwior make a case for more playing time as Arsenal navigates a busy schedule with more Champions League and domestic cup games ahead.
