Arsenal will be hoping to make it three wins in a row in all competitions when they face West Ham United on Saturday.
Mikel Arteta knows that a win will propel his side into second in the Premier League, with Liverpool and Manchester City set to play against each other on Sunday. West Ham will be no easy task, however, and Arteta knows his side must be near-perfect to catch Liverpool, who are nine points ahead of the Gunners.
"If they continue that way that’s for sure. The results they are producing, the amount of games they are winning. But the focus is just on us," Arteta said on Friday.
"If we keep winning games, maintaining the consistency in terms of performances that’s going to give us a better chance of winning. Keep the availability because this is a long run."
With Arteta describing West Ham as "dangerous" ahead of the fixture, the Spaniard may not be able to call upon Gabriel for the game at London Stadium. The centre-back limped off against Sporting CP in the Champions League in midweek and faces a late fitness test.
"Wait and see," Arteta said when asked about the Brazilian. Asked if he can provide anymore information, the Arsenal boss added: "No because I can’t. It’s not that I don’t want to."
Arteta remained coy when asked about team news in general, too. "Not a lot because we have another training session," he said. "We have to see how the boys are today. A few weren’t able to train yesterday, but hopefully yes today. We will have to wait and see."
If Gabriel is unable to play against West Ham, Jakub Kiwior could come in to play alongside William Saliba. There is also Riccardo Calafiori, who could be shifted from left-back across to centre-back, where he has played previously.
Elsewhere on the injury front, the game comes too soon for Takehiro Tomiyasu, with the Japanese "going to be away now for a few weeks to continue with his treatment". Ben White, meanwhile, is set to be sidelined for a few months after undergoing a "minor surgical procedure" on a knee issue during the international break.
So, looking at the official Arsenal website, the Gunners have 19 fit and eligible senior players available for selection for the game vs West Ham. As per Premier League rules, a club is allowed to name a squad of 20 players for a Premier League match.
While Myles Lewis-Skelly was among the players named on the bench in midweek for the clash against Sporting CP, the 18-year-old could miss out entirely this weekend. Ethan Nwaneri, just like he has all season, is expected to be named in the squad, despite still being classed as an academy player on the Gunners website.
If Gabriel fails a late fitness test, that may pave the way for Kieran Tierney to be named in the matchday squad. Tierney was part of the travelling party in midweek but did not come off the bench following a long injury lay off.
Possible Arsenal squad for West Ham: Raya, Neto; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Calafiori, Tierney; Partey, Rice, Merino, Jorginho, Nwaneri, Odegaard; Trossard, Sterling, Jesus, Havertz, Martinelli, Saka.
Senior players unavailable for West Ham: White (knee injury), Tomiyasu (knee injury), Gabriel (doubt).
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Keep warm on the sidelines