A number of Mikel Arteta's key Arsenal first-team stars were missing from the club's training picture gallery that was published on Tuesday afternoon
Ryan Taylor
11:13, 14 Jan 2026
Mikel Arteta
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Mikel Arteta is expected to field a strong starting XI when Arsenal face Chelsea(Image: )
Arsenal released their pre-Chelsea training picture gallery on Tuesday afternoon and there were a number of notable absentees. As ever with any club, just because a player isn't pictured in training, it does not mean they definitely did not train.
In some cases, clubs can intentionally omit players from their photo galleries to keep their opponents guessing.
But equally, when there is a quick turnaround - like this week with Arsenal's Carabao Cup semi-final clash against Chelsea - sometimes players do need rest or have picked up niggles.
As many as eight Arsenal players were not pictured in training on Tuesday with Kepa Arrizabalaga, Piero Hincapie, Riccardo Calafiori, William Saliba, Cristhian Mosquera, Ben White, Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard all missing.
Mikel Arteta has already confirmed both Saliba and Trossard are doubtful after sitting out of the trip to Fratton Park.
Additionally, Hincapie, Calafiori and Mosquera remain sidelined while there's a firm chance Kepa may have trained but just not been snapped because the goalkeeper usually train away from the main group.
But if those eight players are absent, Arsenal's numbers would seriously be depleted, even though their impressive squad depth means they could still field a very strong XI.
READ MORE: Mikel Arteta makes brutal Arsenal declaration over crucial Chelsea line-up decisionREAD MORE: Eight Arsenal stars absent from training pictures ahead of Chelsea Carabao Cup clash
So how would that look on paper? Well, David Raya would start in place of Kepa between the sticks and even if the pair are both available, there's a decent chance first-choice goalkeeper Raya could get the nod given the importance of the match.
Jurrien Timber could sit in at right-back with Christian Norgaard or Marli Salmon partnering Gabriel Magalhaes at centre-back.
There's also a chance Timber could play at centre-back or left-back with Declan Rice filling in at right-back, just like he did against Brighton.
Arsenal in training
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Arsenal were back in training yesterday ahead of facing Chelsea(Image: )
Either way, Myles Lewis-Skelly is expected to be available and Martin Zubimendi and Martin Odegaard should complete the midfield.
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If Rice drops into defence, Mikel Merino or Eberechi Eze would likely get the nod to replace him.
Up top, Gabriel Martinelli - fresh from his hat-trick on the South Coast - and Bukayo Saka feature alongside struggling striker Viktor Gyokeres, who would undoubtedly relish the chance to end his goal drought against Arsenal's London rivals.
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