Mikel Arteta has explained why Mikel Merino and Ben White were not in the Arsenal matchday squad that faced Crystal Palace at the Emirates in Wednesday’s Premier League tie.
Arteta confirmed prior to the 8pm kick-off that both players were not fit enough to make the squad.
The Spaniard told Sky Sports: “They couldn’t be involved, if not they would have been involved. Unfortunately, after the game [vs Ipswich] we had some issues and they are not fit.”
Merino has impressed in recent months as a makeshift forward with injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus forcing the Spaniard to play as a striker.
White, meanwhile, continues to build up his match fitness after missing a large part of the season due to a knee injury.
It would be hoped that any injury is minor with the pair as Arsenal take on Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League next Tuesday.
The Gunners knocked out Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate to reach the semi-finals of this season’s competition.
After recording a comfortable 3-0 win at the Emirates, Arteta’s men finished off the job with a 2-1 win at the Bernabeu.
