Arsenal team news: Gunners handed boost but at least 5 players miss Tottenham trip

Arsenal will be looking to boost their European qualification hopes when they take on Tottenham in the North London Derby on Sunday afternoon.

Ahead of the game, the club have issued the latest team news and injury updates on Arsenal.com and provided the latest on the fitness of Bernd Leno, Pablo Mari, Gabriel Martinelli, Mesut Ozil and Calum Chambers.

Arsenal have confirmed a major boost with the news that Leno could return to full training before the end of the season. The German goalkeeper was initially expected to miss the rest of the campaign after suffering a knee ligament injury against Brighton last month. However, it appears he’s recovering quicker than expected and Leno could yet play again this season if he continues to progress well over the coming weeks.

The North London Derby this weekend will still come too soon for Leno though and he’ll be one of five Arsenal players certain to miss the trip to Tottenham on Sunday afternoon.

Mari is continuing to recover from an ankle ligament injury and isn’t due to return to full training until September while Chambers is also still working his way back from a serious knee injury that he sustained back in December ’19.

Arsenal will also be without Martinelli against Spurs as the attacker has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury while Eddie Nketiah will begin a three-match suspension following his controversial sending off against Leicester on Tuesday night.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta could also be without Ozil once again as the German playmaker remains a doubt with an on-going back injury that’s kept him out of Arsenal’s last three matches.

A team news update on Arsenal.com confirmed:

Calum Chambers
Left knee. Ruptured anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee during Chelsea (h) on December 29. Rehabilitation post-surgical repair continuing and currently progressing well with running and gym work. Will not be available for the current schedule of remaining 2019/20 matches.

Bernd Leno
Right knee. Sustained moderate ligament sprain during Brighton & Hove (a) on June 20. Progressing very well in recovery. Aiming to return to full training before the end of the season.

Pablo Mari
Left ankle. Sustained significant sprain to ankle ligaments during Manchester City (a) on June 17. Has had a successful procedure to the injury and is now in the early stages of his recovery. Aiming to return to full training in September.

Gabriel Martinelli
Left knee. Sustained injury during training on June 21. Successful arthroscopic procedure undertaken to repair a lesion in the cartilage of the left knee. Will not be available for the current schedule of remaining 2019/20 matches.

Eddie Nketiah
Suspended for three matches following red card against Leicester City (h) on Tuesday. Available again for Aston Villa (a) on Tuesday, July 21.

Mesut Ozil
Being assessed ahead of Tottenham Hotspur (a) following back soreness.

Arsenal head across north London on Sunday afternoon knowing they need a win to boos their hopes of qualifying for Europe next season. The Gunners currently sit eighth in the table – one point ahead of Tottenham and two behind sixth-placed Wolves – so Arteta’s men cannot afford to lose if they want to be playing European football next year.