Despite battling a string of injuries, Arsenal have found their form again. While they haven't reached the stage where all their top-choice midfielders are out at the same time, the squad is still riddled with issues, especially in defence.
Despite these fitness worries, Arsenal have made a remarkable comeback, winning all three games since the November international break and scoring 13 goals along the way. Martin Odegaard has played a key role in this revival, but there are concerns behind him as Manchester United prepare for their trip to the Emirates Stadium.
Both Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori were substituted early during the 5-2 win over West Ham on Saturday, while Mikel Merino and Thomas Partey were also absent. Unfortunately for Arteta, that's not the end of the injury list.
Ruben Amorim gets ready to bring his United side to north London following a 4-0 victory over Everton. Arteta will also address this in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
Gabriel was taken off at half-time of the Premier League win over West Ham after scoring in the first 45 minutes. He was also involved in a collision with Lukasz Fabianski where the West Ham goalkeeper seemed to punch him in the head.
Concerns were raised over a possible concussion after his withdrawal, but Arteta has clarified that it was not the case. Instead, the issue was akin to the one experienced against Sporting CP.
Following the match, he took to Instagram to express his gratitude: "+3 [points] and we continue fighting together! ! Thanks for your support gunners! ! See you on Wednesday! ! [bicep and red heart emojis]". Arteta confirmed: "It was related to the previous injury he had in Lisbon."
The potential return could be for the Manchester United home game on Wednesday, December 4.
Mikel Merino is currently sidelined with a knee injury. Despite making an appearance off the bench in Portugal, he did not travel with the team to West Ham due to recent issues.
An Arsenal statement read: "Mikel Merino (knee issue) and Thomas Partey (muscle issue) both miss out on tonight's fixture."
Arteta lamented: "Unfortunately they both picked [up] an injury and the game came too early and they couldn't be part of the squad."
Merino's possible return date is also listed as the Manchester United match at home on December 4.
Thomas Partey is dealing with a muscular injury. After playing the entire match against Sporting, he was excluded from the squad for the West Ham game.
Announcing the lineup, Arsenal stated: "Mikel Merino (knee issue) and Thomas Partey (muscle issue) both miss out on tonight's fixture."
Partey took to Instagram with a series of five shushing emojis following the game, celebrating alongside an image of teammate Bukayo Saka gesturing for silence. As anticipation mounts before Arteta's upcoming press conference on Tuesday, the squad has several fitness uncertainties.
Arteta spoke about the challenges facing his team: "Unfortunately they both picked [up] an injury and the game came too early and they couldn't be part of the squad."
Looking ahead, the Gunners are eyeing a possible comeback against Manchester United at home on Wednesday, December 4. Ricardo Calafiori, who exited the pitch before 60 minutes in the West Ham match, isn't causing major worry according to Arteta but may not yet be fully fit.
Calafiori expressed his elation at Arsenal's win, posting on Instagram: "Huge away win!!! Well done boys [red and white heart emojis]".
Arteta provided insight into the player's health: "Well, he's been dealing with little niggles in the last few weeks, obviously, he's had a very serious knee injury and he's doing really well but we have to manage his minutes. Today we have to do the same."
The target return date is once again set for the Manchester United fixture on December 4. Another concern for the Gunners is Ben White, grappling with a knee complication.
After contending with various issues over recent months, White had to undergo minor surgery during the November international break.
In a concerning update, Arteta said: "Ben is going to be out for months. We had to make a decision in the last few weeks, unfortunately. It got to a point where we had to protect the player, and we decided to do the surgery."
A projected return for White is somewhat bleak, potentially not until the year 2025. The fitness of Takehiro Tomiyasu also hangs in the balance as Arsenal prepare for their next Premier League endeavour.
Injury woes continue to beset the player, with Takehiro Tomiyasu having clocked a mere seven minutes this season. The struggle to attain full fitness remains a persistent hurdle for him throughout the year.
In light of these challenges, Arteta commented: "Tomiyasu is going to be out for a bit. He's going away for a few weeks to change his environment because it's been really tough for him. We're going to give him the best opportunity to try and unlock something, but I think we need to be patient."
A potential return to the pitch is not expected until 2025.
