Arsenal player gives update following absence from training before Manchester United match

Mikel Arteta has been fortunate to have a predominantly healthy squad at his disposal in recent weeks, allowing him to make selections without major injury concerns.

However, it seems that

Arsenal’s defender Takehiro Tomiyasu is poised to provide an additional boost to Arteta’s fitness options ahead of their highly anticipated Premier League clash against Manchester United on Sunday.

Manchester City needs to secure a victory this weekend in order to clinch their first league title in two decades. Arsenal must also win to keep the race for the championship exciting until the final week of the season.

Tomiyasu is being nursed through the last few weeks of the season and is understood to have trained in doors in order to manage his workload.

Alongside Ben White, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, Tomiyasu has helped form the English top flight’s meanest defensive machine and he is hoping for two more clean sheets between now and the end of the season.

Takehiro Tomiyasu has been in excellent form since returning to the Arsenal first team

‘The two centre-backs, Gabi and [William] Saliba, they are so consistent – and so is Ben [White] as well,” Tomiyasu said.

‘We have had a lot of clean sheets because of them. I want to be part of that [defence]. We will try to get another clean sheet at Old Trafford as well.

‘Obviously it won’t be an easy game because it is a tough place to play and take three points. But we are confident and we will be there to get three points.

‘If we win the title, we will be happy. I don’t want anything else, we just want the title. For me, there has not been many chances to be involved in this title race, so I am happy I am involved now. If there is a chance in front of us, we have to go for it and take it.’

Given his questionable fitness record since his move from Bologna approaching three years ago, eyebrows were raised when Tomiyasu was handed the chance to sign a new long-term contract in March.

The versatile defender is now confident his injury problems are behind him and hehopes to play a key part of an exciting future under Arteta.

‘It was tough for me [being injured] because, after we lost in the Asian Cup, I wanted to play,” said Tomiyasu.