Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has several fitness doubts to assess for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest at the Emirates.
The Gunners are definitely without Ben White for the rest of the year following his knee operation, while Leandro Trossard is unlikely to be involved after picking up an injury with Belgium.
Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice also need once-overs after withdrawing from the England squad, as do Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), Riccardo Calafiori (knee) and Kieran Tierney (hamstring).
Tierney has finally been seen in team training as he closes in on a comeback, but for the time being, Oleksandr Zinchenko should hold the fort at left-back if Jurrien Timber deputises for White on the right.
Rearguard cornerstones Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba and David Raya should all reprise their roles, and the same goes for Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard – who withdrew from the Norway squad as a precaution – in midfield.
Rice should also be given the all-clear to start in the left eight role, although Mikel Merino did put in a strong performance against Chelsea off the bench, and the same goes for Saka on the right-hand side.
Raheem Sterling is back in the ranks after being unable to face his parent team two weeks ago, but Gabriel Martinelli is a surefire starter on the left, while Kai Havertz has scored all four of his top-flight goals this season at the Emirates.
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
