Arsenal Training Session
Arteta’s side are in action against Monaco on Wednesday (Picture: Getty)
Arsenal face more problems in defence with Thomas Partey and Jurrien Timber missing training ahead of their Champions League clash against Monaco with Gabriel Magalhaes also still absent.
Mikel Arteta has been without first-choice options Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori for the last two games with Oleksandr Zinchenko joining the injured list last weekend against Fulham.
The trio were absent from training on Tuesday ahead of the visit of the Ligue 1 side with Partey and Timber also not seen among the group.
Mikel Arteta is scheduled to address the media at 3:30pm this afternoon where he will be expected to provide an injury update.
With Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu also sidelined, Partey has been filling in at right-back in recent weeks.
Timber, who has excelled in a number of defensive roles this season, has been switched over to the left to fill in for Calafiori.
Gabriel and Calafiori both came off in the 5-2 win over West Ham United at the end of November.
Arsenal FC v Southampton FC - Premier League
Gabriel has missed Arsenal’s last two games (Picture: Getty)
The Brazil international was forced off at half-time that evening, struggling with a knock he initially picked up in the previous game against Sporting Lisbon.
Asked last week if Calafiori, Gabriel and Zinchenko could be back for Wednesday’s clash at the Emirates, Arteta said: ‘I hope, but it’s more a question for the doctors and physios to understand where we are.
‘We are missing a lot of players in the backline. The good thing is that whatever we put there they respond. They respond with a good attitude and performance.
Fulham FC v Arsenal FC - Premier League
Timber has had a superb campaign this season (Picture: Getty)
‘We know that when we have consistency there [in defence] how much it’s giving us. That’s a different season. It’s bringing different challenges. We’re trying to face them and we’re going to continue in that direction.’
Arsenal, reinvigorated by the return to fitness of Martin Odegaard, recovered from an autumn wobble with four wins on the bounce over Nottingham Forest Sporting, West Ham and Manchester United, scoring 15 goals in the process.
That winning run was halted by Fulham on Sunday with the Gunners missing the chance to close the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool, whose Merseyside derby showdown against Everton was postponed.
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