Mikel Arteta is hopeful of having Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke and Kai Havertz fit and available for Arsenal’s north London derby showdown with Tottenham after the international break.
The Gunners have soared to the top of the Premier League with arch-rivals Tottenham just five points adrift in third place.
Each side has two more games before the final international break of the year in November – Arsenal head to Burnley tomorrow before a trip to Sunderland next weekend while Tottenham have huge games at home against Chelsea and Manchester United.
Arsenal have lost several key players to injuries during the opening three months of the season.
Havertz has not featured since the opening day of the campaign at Old Trafford, undergoing knee surgery in August.
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Odegaard meanwhile picked up a shoulder injury before he was forced off in the first-half against West Ham United at the start of October with a knee injury.
Madueke has also been sidelined with a knee problem, starting the season superbly on the right in the absence of Bukayo Saka before being sidelined himself at the end of September.
Arsenal have three weeks before they welcome Spurs to the Emirates on 23 November with Arteta confident he will have the trio back at his disposal by then.
Asked if Madueke, Odegaard and Havertz are likely to be available for the derby, Arteta told a press conference on Friday: ‘I’m excited because they are tremendous players.
‘I see them work every single day, how desperate they are to be part of the team, the huge boost that is going to be for the squad to have those players available again after such a long time.
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‘I’m really happy that I think it’s going to be very soon.’
Arsenal head to Turf Moor on Saturday where they will be without Gabriel Martinelli for their meeting with Burnley.
William Saliba is also a major doubt.
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