Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is hopeful forward Gabriel Martinelli will be available for selection for today’s north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the game at the Emirates Stadium, Arteta told Arsenal.com that the Brazil international will be assessed to see if he will be fit for this afternoon’s game.
Meanwhile, midfielder Thomas Partey has been ruled of the Spurs’ game completely as he continues to recover from a groin issue he suffered ahead of the Manchester United match before this month’s international break.
The Ghana international has been a key player for Arsenal over the past few seasons, however, injuries have hampered his progress and he could be out until the October international break.
“With Gabi we are still assessing him, so let’s see if he can make the game or not. Thomas [Parety] for sure is out,” the Spaniard said as quoted by Arsenal.com.
“The rest we hope are available, yes we still have two training sessions, but there were no big issues in midweek.”
The only other notable absentee for Arsenal that wasn’t mention by Arteta is Jurrien Timber. The defender is facing a battle to play again this season after suffering an ACL injury on his Premier League debut against Nottingham Forest.
Good news
Many Arsenal fans feared that Martinelli would be out for several weeks after he sustained a hamstring injury during his side’s hard-fought 1-0 win at Everton last Sunday.
He was forced off early in the game after the 22-year-old had given the North Londoners the lead only for the goal to be controversially ruled out following a VAR review for an offside in the build-up.
The versatile forward was replaced by Leandro Trossard, who went on to score the match-winner at Goodison Park. Martinelli subsequently missed Arsenal’s mid-week win over PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League.
His return would be a welcome boost for Arsenal, who have set sights on challenging Manchester City for the Premier League title this term. The South American has made five league appearances for Arsenal and provided two assists in the process.
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