The Gunners are still concerned about the condition of Viktor Gyokeres leading up to the weekend’s game.
The 27-year-old has been unavailable since before the November international matches, his last appearance being in the 2-0 victory against Burnley on November 1.
Is Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres fit to face Chelsea this weekend?
Mikel Merino has been playing in Gyokeres’ position recently, and the Spanish player has performed admirably in recent victories against Tottenham and Bayern Munich within the past week.
However, with Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea as the next opponent, many believe that the Gunners would benefit the most from having the Swedish international back in the lineup, and Arteta has given a reserved update in recent days.
According to what the Spaniard said before the Bayern game, Gyokeres and fellow forward Kai Havertz will be carefully monitored over the next two to three days.
“They’re both in good shape,” he stated. “They will undergo another scan in the coming days to assess their progress and determine how much we can push them for the weekend.”
“Well, we have to evaluate each player individually to ensure they are ready to play, either from the start of the game or, secondly, for how long they are able to play.”
“We also need to be mindful of how many of these players we field, as most of them will not be able to complete the entire 90 minutes. Therefore, we need to be aware of the substitutions we need to make, how we will use them, and the opportunities we have.
“This is to ensure we make very effective decisions throughout the game, and we will plan accordingly.”
Arsenal is also awaiting the return of Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian player nearing his comeback after suffering an ACL injury last season.
It is believed that the Gunners are scheduled to play Manchester United in an Under-21s friendly behind closed doors next week, as the Red Devils are also eager for Lisandro Martinez to gain some crucial playing time.
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