Arsenal are reportedly keeping their fingers crossed that three of their stricken players will return for Sunday's pivotal Premier League encounter with Manchester City.
The Gunners travel to the Etihad on Easter Sunday boasting a one-point lead over the reigning champions, while they are above Liverpool courtesy of their superior goal difference.
After enduring a miserable winter run of just one win in seven matches, the Gunners' Premier League record in 2024 so far is unblemished, with eight wins from eight matches in the top flight.
The most recent of those successes - a 2-1 beating of London rivals Brentford - sent Mikel Arteta's men to the summit, before they retained their position thanks to Liverpool and Man City's 1-1 Anfield draw a day later.
Arsenal also ended a long-running Premier League hoodoo against Man City with a 1-0 Emirates victory in October, but Gooners have to go back to January 2015 for the last time that their side won a top-flight match on the Sky Blues' turf.
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Saka, Martinelli, Gabriel hope
Arsenal's bid to end their disheartening sequence at the Etihad could now receive a significant boost, as football.london reports that the club are "hopeful" that Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhaes will all be involved.
All three key men could not take part in their countries' international fixtures during the March window, with Martinelli still nursing the cut to the foot he sustained against Sheffield United at the start of the month.
Meanwhile, Saka arrived at St George's Park with the rest of the England squad ahead of their friendlies with Brazil and Belgium, only to pull out with what is believed to be a muscular issue, which he had been carrying for a while.
Finally, regular centre-back Gabriel was pulled out of the Brazil squad due to an Achilles concern, and none of Arsenal's three doubts were pictured in team training earlier this week.
Arteta is unlikely to give too much away regarding Saka, Martinelli and Gabriel's fitness in Friday's pre-game press conference, but he should announce good news on two other injury-plagued players.
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City comes too soon for Jurrien Timber
During the international break, an Arsenal XI largely comprised of academy players took on Championship outfit Queens Park Rangers in a behind-closed-doors friendly, where they would suffer a 4-0 defeat.
However, Thomas Partey and Takehiro Tomiyasu both earned valuable minutes in that exhibition contest after their most recent problems, and the pair are expected to be in contention for Sunday's clash with the treble winners.
Partey has only made seven appearances this term due to a combination of groin and hamstring issues, while Tomiyasu is yet to play for Arsenal in 2024, having sustained a calf issue at the Asian Cup.
As a result, Arsenal could only have one player absent for the top-of-the-table showdown, as Jurrien Timber is still working his way back to full fitness seven months from his ACL rupture on the opening weekend of the Premier League season.
The Dutchman is making excellent progress in his rehabilitation, though, and Arteta is keeping his fingers crossed that he will be available during the closing stages of the 2023-24 campaign.
Ben Knapton
