Saka return, White starts, Martinelli out injured – Arsenal XI post-Dubai warm-weather camp

Saka return, White starts, Martinelli out injured – Arsenal XI post-Dubai warm-weather camp

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JANUARY

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Arsenal have flown to the Middle East to kickstart a much-needed period of rest, recovery and training in what is a welcome ten-day break between the defeat on Wednesday to Newcastle and the Premier League trip to Leicester City on February 15.

Arsenal’s hectic fixture schedule will finally ease after this too and until the Champions League returns in March, the Gunners will get more full week gaps between matches. There is also expectation over the return of some key individuals in the group.

After there were no signings made in the January transfer window, this has only furthered the pressure on the group for the remaining matches this season. Gabriel Martinelli came off against the Magpies with a hamstring injury, which is sure to only worsen that pressure.

Considering the break and what we know about the squad, we can piece together what the team could like after the trip and into the future. David Raya had an uncharacteristically poor display against Newcastle, suffering an error which led to Anthony Gordon’s goal, which killed off the tie completely.

He will, however, be expected to continue in goal and get over this blip. The same can be said for William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, who both also had arguably their worst performances of the season, which came at the worst time – however, there is very little chance that either spot will be under threat from February into March.

Myles Lewis-Skelly has earned his spot, and it will be the job of Riccardo Calafiori to earn it back. Ben White, too, will be fighting with Jurrien Timber now for the right-back spot, but it will offer Mikel Arteta the chance to rest the Dutchman.