Arsenal international rested after manager admits minor injury issue

Fears were raised around the fitness status of Ezri Konsa when the Arsenal defender was absent from training on Monday.

The FA explained that Konsa and Nico O’Reilly would be following their own individual training programmes on Monday morning, casting doubt on whether the duo would be on the flight to the Czech Republic that afternoon.

Though Konsa did travel, England boss Thomas Tuchel confirmed that the centre-back has a minor injury issue.

“They missed training,” Tuchel confirmed. “So that’s what you saw because of minor issues, but there are still issues and they need to be assessed.

“Ideally, I would love to put the same team out there, but I need to speak with doctors, physios, and the players themselves, what is responsible and what not.”

Konsa subsequently made the squad for the Czechia game, but not the starting lineup, and he wasn’t brought on at any stage in England’s 2-0 win. From an Arsenal perspective, it’s encouraging to see that he was available but not risked.

Arsenal did have a few players involved in the win on the pitch. Myles Lewis-Skelly played the opening 45 minutes, to be replaced by Eberechi Eze at half-time, and Bukayo Saka was given 71 minutes.

The four Arsenal England internationals for the September-October break are all likely to play further minutes before they return to north London, with a game away to Croatia on Saturday and at home to Czechia next week on Tuesday.