Gunners set for more key returns ahead of Bayern Munich and Chelsea showdowns

Still sidelined: Arsenal trio Martin Odegaard, Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel

Arsenal’s injury woes are finally easing ahead of huge games against Bayern Munich and Chelsea, with more key returns seemingly imminent this week.

The Gunners’ dominant start to the season and formidable early title charge in the Premier League has come despite plenty of bad luck on the fitness front, with a number of important players spending extended periods on the sidelines, leading manager Mikel Arteta to successfully utilise his new-found squad depth.

That picture got clearer during Sunday’s north London derby thrashing of Tottenham, with Riccardo Calafiori shaking off a hip issue to start the rousing 4-1 victory at the Emirates Stadium in which Eberechi Eze netted a hat-trick after Leandro Trossard’s opener.

Arsenal fans were also buoyed to see winger Noni Madueke come off the bench for his first appearance since September following a knee injury, while Gabriel Martinelli was also an unused substitute after his own layoff.

However, there was still no Martin Odegaard, Viktor Gyokeres or Kai Havertz against Tottenham, while Gabriel Magalhaes was not involved as expected and Gabriel Jesus has yet to return.

With that in mind, here is the latest Arsenal injury news and return dates as the high-profile fixtures keep on coming, with Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich the visitors in the Champions League in midweek ahead of a trip to Chelsea on Sunday.

Viktor Gyokeres

Gyokeres has not played since suffering a hamstring injury after scoring in the 2-0 win at Burnley immediately prior to the November international break.

Arsenal’s headline summer signing went off at half-time at Turf Moor with a hamstring issue and withdrew from the Sweden squad for World Cup qualifiers against Switzerland and Slovenia.

Arteta grouped Gyokeres with Odegaard, Madueke, Martinelli, Havertz and Jesus at his pre-Tottenham press conference when he said that some of that number could be in contention against Spurs.

The 27-year-old was not part of the squad in the end, but Arteta said in his pre-match interview that he was “very close”, so could presumably return against Bayern or Chelsea.

Potential return date: Wednesday November 26, vs Bayern Munich (H)

Martin Odegaard

Odegaard was believed to be pushing hard to face Tottenham and considered among the most likely of Arsenal’s injured contingent to return in the north London derby, though in the end Arteta said he was “very close” but not quite 100 per cent to be involved in such a big game.

Like Gyokeres, you would think that assessment likely puts the influential Gunners skipper in line to make his comeback against either Bayern or Chelsea.

Odegaard has endured an injury-plagued season so far, twice hurting his shoulder and then damaging the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his left knee on his return against West Ham on October 4.

Potential return date: Wednesday November 26, vs Bayern Munich (H)



Frustration: It has been an injury-plagued season so far for Arsenal captain Odegaard

Action Images via Reuters

Gabriel

Arguably Arsenal’s best player so far this season limped off during the second half of Brazil’s friendly win over Senegal at the Emirates last weekend.

Selecao boss Carlo Ancelotti confirmed an adductor injury, with Gabriel undergoing assessment and reports later claiming there were fears that he could be missing until January.

Arteta said ahead of the north London derby that the centre-back would be sidelined for a period of “weeks”, though would not be able to offer an exact time frame until after Arsenal have received the results of another scan scheduled for Wednesday.

Potential return date: Unknown, pending further assessment

Kai Havertz

Havertz was another player who fans thought could be in contention for involvement against Spurs, having been ramping up his comeback from what was described as a minor procedure on a knee injury suffered away at Manchester United on the opening weekend of the season.

There was no new update on the German forthcoming from Arteta in his pre-match interview on Sky Sports on Sunday, but it seems likely that his return is also getting very close. Could it come against former club Chelsea at Stamford Bridge?

Potential return date: Sunday November 30, vs Chelsea (A)



Surgery: Kai Havertz has not played for Arsenal since the opening weekend of the season against Manchester United

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Gabriel Jesus

Jesus’ return from surgery on an anterior cruciate ligament rupture suffered in an FA Cup tie against Manchester United back in January finally looks to be imminent.

Arteta said before the visit of Tottenham that the Brazilian striker had been training fully with his team-mates now for almost two weeks and had looked good, suggesting that Arsenal could organise some behind-closed-doors friendlies to gradually increase his workload.

If that’s the case, it seems like he could be ready for first-team involvement again in early December, when Arsenal meet the likes of Brentford, Aston Villa and Club Brugge.

Potential return date: Early December