The defender has returned from the Asian Cup and was involved in the journey to east London.
Mikel Arteta claims Takehiro Tomiyasu missed Arsenal’s 6-0 victory over West Ham on Sunday due to a “niggle” issue.
Tomiyasu has not played for Arsenal since the 2-1 defeat to Fulham on New Year’s Eve, when he represented Japan at the Asian Cup in Qatar.
The versatile defender appeared in all but one of Japan’s matches as they advanced to the tournament’s quarterfinals in Qatar, but a minor injury stopped him from making his Arsenal return at the London Stadium.
When asked why Tomiyasu was missing, Arteta responded: “He had a niggle when he came with the national team. It was not the moment to risk him after how many minutes he has played.”
Since joining Arsenal from Serie A side Bologna in 2021, the 25-year-old has made 73 appearances.
In Tomiyasu’s place, the Gunners were ruthless, scoring six unanswered goals and winning to tie second-place Manchester City on 52 points and trail leaders Liverpool by only two points.
