Arsenal have granted their players a two-day break following the club’s 3-1 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League, as the North London side manage workload ahead of Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Manchester United.
The decision comes after Mikel Arteta’s squad completed a demanding run of four consecutive away matches in domestic and European competitions. Arsenal travelled across England and Europe during that stretch, facing Portsmouth in the FA Cup, Chelsea in the League Cup, Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, before the trip to San Siro brought the run to a close.
The Arsenal manager rotated most of his starting XI during the away trip against the Serie A leaders, but was able to claim maximum points. The win guaranteed a top-spot finish and sealed qualification to the Champions League knockout phase, thanks to a Gabriel Jesus brace and substitute Gyökeresʼ third goal.
Recent reports reveal that the Spanish manager has allowed the squad to stand down from training after the clash, with players scheduled to report back later in the week to prepare for the visit of United.
The upcoming fixture is Arsenal’s return to home action after the extended period on the road. The team will be hoping to maintain their strong position at the top of the table.
Arteta expects most of his squad to be available for selection, although the club continues to assess the fitness of the likes of Piero Hincapie and Kai Havertz, who have missed recent matches due to injury.
Manchester United, under new head coach Michael Carrick, will have more days of rest, as they are out of all other competitions apart from the league. Arsenal’s decision to grant time off will help the team recover and be better prepared to avoid being at the other end of the new manager bounce.
