Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has admitted that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette are “still very uncertain” for Sunday’s game with Chelsea.
The duo missed last week’s opening-day defeat to Brentford due to reported illness, but the Gunners later confirmed that both strikers had tested positive for COVID-19.
Willian and Alex Runarsson also contracted the virus before Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat to Thomas Frank’s men, and Arteta is still unsure if any member of the quartet will feature against the Blues.
Speaking to the media ahead of Sunday’s game, Arteta said: “It’s still very uncertain. I cannot give any answers today. I don’t know if they can train in a few hours and if they are going to be able to compete at the weekend. I don’t know.
“They’ve had some tough days, [Alexandre] Lacazette still hasn’t trained as he’s not been good. [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang trained yesterday but they were effected by the virus – they were ill.”
Arteta also refused to comment on claims that the players contracted the virus during a party for Aubameyang’s son, adding: “I don’t know where it came from – we can only guess where it came from – a week before they had three or four negatives and then a positive, we have no clue where it came from.”
The Spaniard has also admitted that he was “surprised” at the Premier League’s decision to give the Brentford game the go-ahead following the positive tests.
