Arsenal have been handed a timely injury boost ahead of the North London Derby on Sunday, with The Telegraph reporting that some key players could return to the eleven.
The Gunners travelled to Ludogorets on Tuesday with a whole host of first team players left out of the squad, with Arsene Wenger noting that all were injured. He failed to disclose the extent of the injuries to any of his players but it now seems that their exclusion from the Champions League squad was purely to ensure they were 100% for the crucial derby on Sunday.
Hector Bellerin was one player to not travel, with Wenger saying that he had picked up an injury in training. The Telegraph say that his omission was a precaution and he is likely to start the game on Sunday – that is very important for Arsenal whose back up options for Bellerin are not the best.
Santi Cazorla has been out since the Gunners last played Ludogorets in the 6-0 home win, but again it is thought that his re-integration into the squad has been careful from the staff at Colney. He is in line to start the game on Sunday too.
And the good news just keeps on coming with the report suggesting that both Theo Walcott and Nacho Monreal are also likely to regain their places in the starting line up after minor injuries had ruled them out of the last couple of games. Walcott especially has been a huge miss as he is on great form this season and gives us something different, Monreal on the other hand may have a tougher task winning his place back from Kieran Gibbs who has deputised well in his absence (bar that slip).
It is not just the game against Tottenham that this boosts the club for. Arsenal have a very difficult November to negotiate and it is important that all their players are fit, especially ones as key and as vital as these four. Fingers crossed that they manage to keep their fitness all through this dreaded, packed winter schedule.