Arsenal vs Tottenham: Arteta confirms one definite injury absence in latest team update

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Mikel Arteta has provided an update on Arsenal’s injury situation ahead of the North London Derby against Tottenham Hotspur.

Gabriel Magalhaes will be sidelined for the clash at the Emirates, but there is hope that Martin Odegaard, Viktor Gyokeres, Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke could all recover in time to play a part in Sunday’s match.

Arteta provides key injury updates before the North London Derby

Arsenal face Tottenham Hotspur this Sunday at the Emirates, and Mikel Arteta has offered a clearer picture of his squad’s fitness concerns heading into the derby. While the Gunners are still capable of fielding a strong XI, several issues remain far from ideal.

Arteta confirmed that Gabriel Magalhães will definitely miss the match and is expected to be sidelined “for weeks” following an injury picked up with Brazil. He also revealed that Riccardo Calafiori has yet to train with the squad after returning early from Italy duty. “We need another scan,” Arteta said of Gabriel. “I think it is next Wednesday. We will have a time that is much more clear than at the moment.”

On Calafiori, the manager added: “Yeah, he wasn’t available, he’s been carrying a few things and we had to bring him back. He hasn’t trained yet. We have a session tomorrow, so we will see.”

Uncertainty remains over Arsenal’s attacking stars

Despite the defensive setbacks, there is cautious optimism regarding several attacking players. Arteta explained that extensive work has gone into trying to recover Martin Ødegaard, Viktor Gyökeres, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Jesus in time for Sunday — but he refused to confirm whether any will make the squad.

“We put a lot of energy in the international break with the medical staff to try to bring them back as quickly as possible,” he said. “Tomorrow we have another training session to see.”

As a result, Arsenal fans will have to wait until matchday to discover which of their key forwards are available for selection — and whether Arteta will have the firepower he needs for one of the club’s biggest fixtures of the season.