It’s not often Arsenal come out of an international break with fewer injured players than they started it with, but that looks like it will be the case this time as Lucas and Francis Coquelin both returned to training.

Coquelin’s return is by far the most impressive after suffering a knee problem that many initially feared would sideline him for a number of months. That sort of thing just doesn’t happen at Arsenal.

Lucas’s return after his own knee problem makes the claims that he was merely dropped before the Burnley game seem even more curious. As we discussed at the time, the rumours didn’t make sense, and after seeing him sit out part of the international break because of the problem, it makes even less.

Carl Jenkinson also returned to training, again after a knee problem. Having not played since the end of January, it will take him some time to regain any sort of match fitness.

At the time of writing, Arsenal have just three players injured – Per Mertesacker, Danny Welbeck (both knee), and Aaron Ramsey (hamstring).

It was claimed that Ramsey would be back after the international break but I have my doubts about that.

Welbeck is expected back before Christmas.