Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta is hopeful of receiving a double defensive boost in time for Sunday's Premier League London derby against Fulham at Craven Cottage.
The Gunners are sure to be without long-term knee victims Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu again, while Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori also missed the 2-0 win over Manchester United on Wednesday.
Neither man was seen in team training on Friday, and Arteta was typically coy in his pre-game press conference, but when it comes to team news, Arsenal's mind games know no bounds.
If Calafiori and Gabriel are fit, Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko's brief stints in the first XI should come to an end, as the former two join William Saliba, Jurrien Timber and David Raya in a first-choice defence.
Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard are indispensable in the engine room, but with a Champions League game against Monaco on the horizon, Arteta may encase Thomas Partey in bubble wrap and start Mikel Merino instead.
At least one attacking alteration should be on the cards too, as Gabriel Martinelli could cede his place to Leandro Trossard, who caught the eye with a bright substitute cameo in midweek.
However, Kai Havertz should hold off the misfiring Gabriel Jesus to continue up front, while Bukayo Saka - recently compared to the legendary Thierry Henry in terms of having a 'good arrogance' - struts his stuff on the right.
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Rice, Merino; Saka, Havertz, Trossard
> Click here to see how Fulham could line up for this match
Ben Knapton
