Mikel Arteta will take Arsenal to Stamford Bridge this weekend with what feels like the strongest squad he has had available for months, as Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke and Martin Ødegaard all continue their returns from injury and Leandro Trossard appears to have avoided picking one up.
Ødegaard, who has missed 12 matches this season with a knee injury and two separate shoulder problems, is available again, although his match sharpness remains limited after his extended absence. Even so, his return is a significant boost as Arsenal look to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League.
Leandro Trossard picked up a calf issue against Bayern and was withdrawn as a precaution. He could yet feature at Stamford Bridge. “Yeah, with Leo there’s another test today, we have to see how he’s feeling,” Mikel Arteta told reporters at his pre-Chelsea press conference.
“It doesn’t look much, so we still have a few hours and we’ll have to see, it’s a potential chance [that he will be available].”
Gabriel Jesus continues to build towards a competitive return and featured in a behind-closed-doors friendly this week as part of his rehabilitation. Arteta confirmed the game took place, saying: “Yeah it did happen, Gabi participated, Ethan as well, as he wanted some minutes. We took that opportunity.”
He added, “We have to see [if he can make the squad], obviously he’s been out 11 months and you need that progression, you need to see how his body reacts and what else he needs.
“The players that we have available as well, it has to make sense to have the right balance in the squad, so it’s a good thing. He’s very, very close at the moment.”
Ahead of the Bayern Munich match, Arteta said that Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres would undergo scans this week to assess their availability for Chelsea. Gyokeres has now missed four matches with a hamstring problem since scoring in the 2-0 win at Burnley on 1 November and Havertz has been out since the second game of the season with a knee injury.
Asked if they are ready to return, Arteta said, “Not yet, but they are getting closer and closer, so we are very positive with both of them.
“The good thing is that now we find another option.
“We lost a player, two or three, we lost at some point six players in the front line, and the team continued to win and be very, very efficient, so I think that’s very positive.”
Gabriel remains sidelined with the thigh injury he sustained on international duty with Brazil. “I think he’s evolving really, really well,” Arteta said. “We have to wait for the scan a little bit longer to be more precise in terms of the timings.
“I’m quite confident, especially the way Gabi takes every injury and the way he’s going to push everybody that it’s not going to be that long.”
Chelsea, meanwhile, will be without Levi Colwill and Mykhailo Mudryk, while Romeo Lavia faces a late fitness test. Cole Palmer has been declared fit to play after a faster-than-expected return from a broken toe, while Dario Essuago has also rejoined training.
Sunday’s meeting will be the 98th time the sides have met at Stamford Bridge in all competitions, with Chelsea having played Arsenal more often than any other opponent.
Arsenal arrive on a nine-game unbeaten run in the league and have lost only once in the Premier League all season, while Arteta’s side have lost just one of their past 11 league meetings with Chelsea.