ARSENAL head to Chelsea on Wednesday night as their desperate hunt for a European spot continues.
The Gunners crashed out of the Europa League at the semi-final stage last week as former boss Unai Emery returned to haunt them with his Villarreal squad.
And now, with Mikel Arteta’s side way down in ninth in the Premier League, their hopes of playing continental football in 2021-22 look mightily slim.
But next up for Arsenal are Champions League-chasing Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.
And the Gunners will make the trip across London with a few injury concerns.
Arteta has confirmed David Luiz will miss the game with his former club, while admitting he has a few fitness worries elsewhere.
The Emirates boss said: “We have to see, there were some issues over the weekend again.
“We are playing every three days and there is no time to train yet, today is the first day so we will have to wait and see.
“Yes [there were] some injuries, yes.”
Emile Smith Rowe – who scored in Sunday’s 3-1 win over West Brom – is one player who could miss out after picking up a knock against the Baggies.
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Granit Xhaka and Pablo Mari are also racing to be fit for Wednesday’s 8.15pm kick-off in West London.
Bernd Leno is likely to start in goal, despite the German being on Arteta’s six-strong list of star names to be sold this summer.
Hector Bellerin, also set to be moved on, should start at right-back ahead of Cedric Soares, with Kieran Tierney on the left.
Gabriel Magalhaes and Rob Holding could take the two centre-backs spots for Chelsea.
Xhaka will hope to be fit, with the Swiss star fighting it out with Thomas Partey, Mohamed Elneny and Dani Ceballos for two deeper midfield spots.
Nicolas Pepe will hope to keep his place on the right wing following his sumptuous goal against West Brom.
Tierney’s return to the back-four will likely see Bukayo Saka pushed up the pitch to the left-wing, with Martin Odegaard starting behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang should Smith Rowe be deemed not fit enough to start.
However, Gabriel Martinelli and Alexandre Lacazette will also hope to squeeze themselves into Arteta’s starting XI for the big game.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
