GUNNER RETURN SOON

Arsenal boost as TWO stars return to squad for Nottingham Forest clash as Arteta looks to bounce back from PSV loss

MOHAMED ELNENY and Marquinhos have given Arsenal a much needed fitness boost.

But Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Magalhaes face fitness tests as the Gunners bid to return top of the Premier League with victory over Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Advertisement
Mikel Arteta knows Arsenal must beat Forest to return to top spot in the PremCredit: Getty

Elneny is back in training after injury in September ended his bright start to the season.

The Egypt midfielder, 30, had shone standing in for Thomas Partey.

And although he's unlikely to play a part this weekend he's expected to be ready for action soon.

Brazilian winger Marquinhos, 19, is tipped to be back in the squad after missing Thursday's 2-0 Europa League defeat at PSV Eindhoven.

Advertisement

But most of the fitness focus is on in-form duo Zinchenko and centre-back Gabriel.

Zinchenko will expect to replace Kieran Tierney at left-back if he's 100 per cent.

And boss Mikel Arteta hopes to bring back Gabriel alongside William Saliba in the centre of defence.

Arteta will make changes anyway, especially as he was shocked by the slump in performance in Holland.

Advertisement

Most read in Football

HOSPITAL DASH
Ex-England goalkeeper rushed to hospital with 'serious internal bleed'
'GAME OFF'
Crawley vs Charlton League One clash postponed 22 minutes before kick-off
ALPINE FOREST
Forest stars Elanga and Gibbs-White enjoy New Years ski trip with girlfriends
RAIN IN THE GRASS
League One clash postponed hours before kick-off as flooding wreaks havoc

He said: "I’m very disappointed. It’s the end of a long run, where we won a lot of games... and we have to reset."

The Spaniard was particularly frustrated by the Gunners' poor build-up play.

He explained: "We didn’t get any control. We didn’t get the ball in the areas we wanted.

"We gave so many balls away, which allowed so many transitions, which was what they were looking for whenever they got in the right structure.

Advertisement

"They were on top of a lot of things that last week was different."

Long-term casualty Emile Smith Rowe  and back-up keeper Matt Turner will both miss Sunday's Emirates clash with groin problems.

Advertisement
Topics
Advertisement
machibet777.com