Mikel Arteta will make a late decision that could directly influence the arsenal score today as Arsenal prepare to face Everton at the Emirates on Saturday evening (ET). Captain Martin Odegaard has not played since coming off the bench and providing an assist in the north London derby, struggling with a lingering knee issue and missing the last four matches across all competitions. Leandro Trossard is also touch-and-go after a knock that forced his substitution in the FA Cup win at Mansfield and kept him out of Wednesday night’s Champions League tie despite returning to training at London Colney.
Arsenal Score Today: Fitness and Selection Uncertainty
The immediate question for team selection is whether Odegaard and Trossard will be declared fit. Manager Mikel Arteta has framed the situation as a medical call, stating: “Let’s see. We will have to wait and see, speak to the doctors on whether they are involved or not. ” If both players are passed fit, Arsenal would approach the Everton match with almost an entirely healthy squad; the only confirmed absentee is Mikel Merino, who faces months on the sidelines after undergoing surgery in February for a rare foot injury. That mixture of near-full strength and lingering doubts makes the small margins around the arsenal score today especially significant.
Behind the headline: Why this matters right now
The timing compounds the importance. Odegaard’s recent substitute appearance — and his assist in that north London derby — suggested a staged return, but the knee problem has kept him out for four matches. Norway head coach Stale Solbakken has voiced concern that the captain “may not be back in action until late March at the earliest, ” underscoring the fragility of current projections. Trossard’s substitution in a 2-1 FA Cup victory at Mansfield with a knock, followed by his absence from the Champions League squad despite training at London Colney, highlights a club managing short-term demands across several competitions. With Arteta reserving the final say, Arsenal’s tactical balance and match-day creativity hinge on whether those two are available — and that will affect the arsenal score today.
Expert perspectives and regional impact
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal manager, set a cautious tone about selection and recovery, emphasizing the role of the medical staff in final decisions. Stale Solbakken, Norway head coach, has elevated external concern by suggesting Odegaard’s return could be delayed into late March. On the opposition side, Everton manager David Moyes faces constraints of his own: Everton hope defender Jarrad Branthwaite will be available after being substituted late in a 2-0 win over Burnley with fatigue, but they will remain without Jack Grealish for the season following an operation on a stress fracture in his left foot. Seamus Coleman could return from a knock, while Charly Alcaraz is still sidelined.
Those availability dynamics are not isolated. For Arsenal, the potential inclusion of Odegaard and Trossard would restore creative options and depth; for Everton, the continued absence of a high-profile loanee and questions over defensive fitness alter approaches to containment and transition. The selection meetings and medical clearances in the hours leading to kickoff will therefore be decisive in shaping the tactical match-ups that determine the arsenal score today.
Beyond the immediate fixture, the way Arsenal manages these players affects squad continuity across competitions. A cautious approach that limits minutes now could preserve players for later ties; conversely, a risk-is-all stance to secure a short-term advantage could compound availability problems. With Merino already facing an extended recovery after February surgery, the club’s load management decisions around Odegaard and Trossard are part of a broader recovery and rotation calculus.
As kick-off approaches on Saturday evening (ET), the medical room and Arteta’s final assessment will be the last variables before the team sheet is confirmed — and those decisions are likely to determine more than a single result. Will Arsenal risk reintegrating creative leaders for the immediate gain, or protect them and accept a different tactical profile? That choice will be central to interpreting the final arsenal score today.
How Arteta balances short-term ambition with long-term fitness will be a key storyline to watch as the team seeks consistent momentum across competitions.
