Arsenal aren’t expecting to welcome back any injured players against PSV Eindhoven, but there are a couple of positive updates on the team news front.
Arsenal travel to Eindhoven for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday, with the Gunners hopes of a trophy now almost entirely relying on this competition.
13 points off the pace in the Premier League, Mikel Arteta’s side are all but out of the domestic title race, but they still have as much of a chance as any other team of European success.
Yet injuries continue to be a problem regardless of the competition, and Arsenal will be without Takehiro Tomiyasu, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli in midweek.
Of the five absentees, Martinelli appears to be the closest to a return, but the Brazilian international wasn’t in training on Monday, and likely won’t be until next week at the earliest.
The good news is that everyone else was involved in the session, barring the above five absentees.
Arsenal haven’t picked up any new injuries after their game against Nottingham Forest, and Myles Lewis-Skelly is also back in the mix following his red card suspension.
Lewis-Skelly’s domestic suspension wouldn’t have applied to this competition anyway, but he’s served his one-game ban and will be available for both Tuesday’s game against PSV and Sunday’s fixture against Manchester United.
None of that helps Arsenal at centre-forward, with both Jesus and Havertz out for the season.
Martinelli could add an option up front when he’s back, but for now Arteta only has Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri, Mikel Merino, and Raheem Sterling to choose from in his senior squad.