Arsenal will travel to Stamford Bridge to face London rivals Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday (21 October) after the international break.
According to injury expert Ben Dinnery, the Gunners are definitely going to miss one player, while three other players are still major doubts. Writing on his website, Premier Injuries, Dinnery claims that the likes of Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, and Leandro Trossard are doubtful for the trip to Stamford Bridge.
Saka was forced to withdraw from the squad for the recent England games, and doubts remain about whether he will be completely fit for Arsenal’s clash with Chelsea on Saturday. Saliba picked up an ankle injury and he stayed at the club to fix his chronic issue. Dinnery thinks both these players have only a 50% chance of playing against Chelsea.
Trossard picked up a hamstring injury during the Gunners’ 1-0 win against Manchester City. It was expected that he would return after the international break, but it appears that he has only a 25% chance of featuring on Saturday evening.
Jurrien Timber suffered an anterior ligament injury at the start of the season, so he is out for a long time and may not play again this season.
Big game
Arsenal are undefeated in the Premier League so far, but this game could pose a different challenge. The international break can work well for teams that are struggling for form. But it can often disrupt the momentum of a side that is winning games and on a flow.
Mikel Arteta’s side will have to regroup and keep their focus strong once again. After early struggles, Chelsea appear to have picked up their form, winning three games in a row in all competitions prior to the break.
Mauricio Pochettino does have a talented squad at his disposal, but he needs a bit of time to make them work as a team.
The Gunners will start as favourites for this game but this could be their biggest test yet away from home, especially if Saka fails to recover.
