Arsenal are apparently hopeful of welcoming two players back from the treatment room in time for their opening FA Cup clash with Liverpool on January 7.
The Gunners enter the third round of the competition aiming to win a record-extending 15th crown in the FA Cup, having clinched their most recent slice of glory in the COVID-affected 2019-20 tournament.
Since defeating Chelsea behind closed doors at Wembley, though, Mikel Arteta's men have failed to advance past the fourth round, losing at that stage to Southampton in 2020-21 and Manchester City in 2022-23.
The Gunners' run in the 2021-22 competition also ended in the third round with a 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest, and they have been handed a daunting opening clash with Jurgen Klopp's side, who head to the Emirates next month on the back of Saturday's thrilling 1-1 Premier League draw at Anfield.
Arsenal were without all of Fabio Vieira, Jurrien Timber, Thomas Partey and Takehiro Tomiyasu for the showdown with the Reds on December 23, although Mohamed Elneny and Jorginho were back on the bench after their hamstring and foot concerns.
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Now, the Evening Standard reports that Arteta is optimistic of having both Partey and Tomiyasu at his disposal for the third-round tie as the pair step up their respective recoveries.
Tomiyasu - whose absence was sorely felt at Anfield - put together a string of brilliant performances in the Gunners defence before sustaining a calf injury against Wolverhampton Wanderers on December 2.
Arteta admitted that the Japan international would be out for "weeks" after obtaining results from his scans, but the report adds that an earlier return is not beyond the realm of possibility either.
In addition, thigh victim Partey could also make his competitive comeback in the FA Cup third-round affair, having been sidelined for a couple of months since sustaining his problem in training at the end of October.
The former Atletico Madrid man has been plagued by several fitness concerns since arriving in North London in 2020, but his partnership with Granit Xhaka last season was a cornerstone of Arsenal's title charge.
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Partey is believed to be the closest to returning from Arsenal's injured troupe, but it is still unclear whether he will be able to push for the visit of West Ham United on December 28 or the trip to Fulham on New Year's Eve.
Timber is still facing months out with his severe ACL concern, though, while Vieira is not expected to return from his groin operation until the latter stages of January at the earliest, and Kai Havertz has incurred a suspension for the West Ham game on account of picking up his fifth booking of the season at Anfield.
Following the FA Cup opener with Liverpool on January 7, Arsenal will be expected to lose both Partey and Elneny to Africa Cup of Nations call-ups, with the midfielders set to represent Ghana and Egypt respectively.
The Premier League leaders could therefore try to target engine room reinforcements when the transfer window reopens next month and are said to have sent scouts to watch 18-year-old Royal Antwerp starlet Arthur Vermeeren.
Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi, Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz and Bayern Munich's Joao Palhinha have also been mentioned as possible targets, but moves for any member of the trio in January will likely prove too difficult to pull off.
Ben Knapton
