Arsenal fans have spotted four injured players walking with the rest of the squad ahead of the North London Derby against Tottenham, hinting at some possible returns.
12:07, 23 Nov 2025Updated 12:50, 23 Nov 2025
Mikel Arteta is preparing his Arsenal side for the North London Derby against Tottenham on Sunday.
Arsenal are ready for a huge game on their return from November’s international break, as they welcome north London rivals Tottenham to the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners have an opportunity to build a gap at the top of the Premier League table, after defeat for Manchester City on Saturday evening.
For Mikel Arteta, the prospect of extending the lead will be a welcome one, but the challenge of the North London Derby is a big one to overcome first. Arsenal have several injured players who are set to miss the game, coming as a blow to the team for such a monumental occasion.
Gabriel Magalhaes is the latest injury concern, with his thigh issue resulting in an absence that could prove costly. The Brazilian was Player of the Match in the encounters with Tottenham last season, scoring and assisting in the two victories that Arsenal picked up.
While he is one of a few stars out, there could be a whole host of stars who are returning from injury to feature in the clash on Sunday. That’s because footage from fans on social media showed four injured players with the squad on a pre-match walk after leaving the team hotel.
Riccardo Calafiori, Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli were each seen with their teammates in preparation, hinting at a possible return when the team news drops later in the day. It would come as a huge boost to Arteta, especially with the lack of forward options at his disposal in recent weeks.
There was no sign of Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz, or Gabriel Jesus, however, meaning that the manager may well be relying on Mikel Merino as his striker option for the showdown. The overall fitness picture does look brighter for the Gunners, however, with the four returnees.
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Odegaard has been out injured for six weeks, having faced a stop-start opening few months to the season. The Norway international was away with his nation over the recent break, but in a non-playing role, as he saw them qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
As for Madueke, a bright start for the Gunners was dampened by a knee injury he picked up in September. There were reports claiming that a return against Sunderland was on the cards, but with an extra two weeks to recover, he is now in prime position to feature again.
Martinelli has been out for a shorter period of time with his groin issue, while Calafiori’s hip discomfort lasted over the international break, with some doubts over his availability coming into the game. Arteta was coy over the availability of his stars heading into the match, but he did say that work was being done to get the back fit and available.
He said: “We have put in a lot of energy to bring them [injured players] back as quick as possible. Tomorrow [Saturday] we will have more clarity. I am hopeful that we will take another step tomorrow.”
It means Arsenal are one step closer to having a clean bill of health, something they haven’t had too much of over these past few seasons. With a busy fixture schedule ahead, the Gunners will need all the help they can get to hold onto top spot in the Premier League.
With results going their way elsewhere and the cavalry coming, it seems as though that help is on the way.