London, 22 August (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Arsenal have received an encouraging Arsenal injury update on Bruno Guimaraes after the midfielder missed their 3-0 Premier League victory over Coventry City, while Christos Tzolis and Martin Odegaard provided Mikel Arteta with plenty of encouragement at the other end of the pitch.
The champions made a confident start to their title defence at the Emirates Stadium on Friday. Kai Havertz opened the scoring after 15 minutes, Bukayo Saka added the second and captain Odegaard completed the victory shortly after half-time.
Arteta eases fears over Guimaraes
Guimaraes was missing after picking up a leg problem during Arsenal’s 3-0 Community Shield victory over Manchester City in Cardiff.
Arteta had already described the Brazilian as a doubt before the Coventry match, with the £75 million summer signing unable to recover in time for the league opener.
The early indications, however, are that Arsenal are not dealing with a long-term problem. Arteta said after Friday’s victory that the club did not expect Guimaraes to be sidelined for weeks, although no firm date has been given for his return.
That will come as welcome news for Arsenal after injuries repeatedly disrupted Arteta’s squad last season. Guimaraes was one of the club’s major summer additions and is expected to play a central role as Arsenal attempt to retain the Premier League title.
Tzolis quickly looks at home at Arsenal
If Guimaraes’ absence provided a note of concern, Tzolis offered another reason for optimism.
The former Club Brugge winger was lively throughout his Premier League debut and played a part in Saka’s goal when his delivery was parried into the England international’s path.
It continued an eye-catching start for Tzolis, who had already supplied two assists when Arsenal defeated Manchester City in the Community Shield six days earlier.
Arteta praised the winger’s early performances, while his willingness to attack defenders has given Arsenal another direct option on the flank.
For Fantasy Premier League managers, his involvement in Arsenal’s attack will now be worth watching closely as Arteta settles on his preferred combinations during the opening weeks of the season.
Odegaard finds the rhythm Arsenal missed
Odegaard’s goal was another important feature of Arsenal’s opening-night performance.
The captain endured a disrupted campaign last season, but his start to 2026/27 has been considerably smoother. He scored against Manchester City at Wembley before finding the net again against Coventry.
More importantly for Arsenal, the Norwegian appears to be rediscovering the consistency that has made him such an influential part of Arteta’s midfield.
With Havertz and Saka also scoring on Friday, Arsenal’s established attacking players have begun the new league campaign alongside a new threat in Tzolis.
Why Arsenal’s strong start matters for FPL
The Arsenal injury update is particularly significant for FPL managers assessing Arteta’s squad after Gameweek One.
Guimaraes’ fitness needs monitoring before any transfer decision, but Tzolis has strengthened his case for consideration after contributing in both of Arsenal’s competitive matches this season.
Odegaard’s back-to-back goals are equally difficult to ignore, while Saka and Havertz demonstrated that Arsenal’s familiar attacking options remain capable of delivering returns.
There is still only a small sample of competitive football, making minutes, positioning and Arteta’s future team selections important factors before managers make longer-term conclusions.
What happens next for Arsenal?
Arsenal will assess Guimaraes in the coming days before their next Premier League fixture. Arteta’s comments suggest the midfielder’s absence should not be prolonged, but the club has yet to confirm when he will be available again.
Tzolis and Odegaard, meanwhile, have already made their case on the pitch. After two convincing 3-0 victories to begin the competitive season, Arsenal have momentum — and FPL managers now have several Arsenal players demanding attention.
