Arsenal fly to Portugal this afternoon (Wednesday) ahead of their Europa League clash with Sporting CP in Lisbon. Mikel Arteta will hope to get the job done in the first leg to allow for a relatively straightforward second leg to navigate and the team trained in good spirits this morning.
After looking like Gabriel Jesus was the only injury issue facing the Gunners, suddenly they lost both Eddie Nketiah and Leandro Trossard. football.london was in attendance to see the Europa League preparations.
There was mixed news regarding the team from what was seen, although there was certainly more positives than negatives. The biggest challenge would be lasting more than an hour in the arctic-like conditions because I for one was struggling.
READ MORE: Inside Gabriel Jesus training return as Arsenal ace to travel to Sporting CP Europa League clash
Gabriel Jesus returns
The big news of the day was that Gabriel Jesus was indeed back and fit to take part in the drills we saw in training. This included the Brazilian sprinting, turning, tackling and twisting.
All signs that Jesus is indeed close to a return and it is understood he will travel with the group today to Portugal. Although it is not known whether he will be in the matchday squad.
Jesus was in high spirits walking out and his teammates were responsive in seeing their star striker involved. You can get all the insight into Jesus’ return to training in greater detail in our behind-the-scenes piece.
Good spirits and absences
After that huge goal from Reiss Nelson to hand Arsenal their five-point lead back at the top of the table, the group were in great spirits for training. Ben White and Rob Holding came out about ten minutes before any of their teammates just to have a kickabout as the snow started to come down thicker.
Saturday matchday hero Reiss Nelson came out with one of the leadership group captains Granit Xhaka. Many of the group chose the full winter clothing sets complete with snoods, woolly hats and gloves and frankly who could blame them?
There was some bad news though. Trossard and Nketiah as mentioned suffered injuries recently and weren’t involved but the main blow was Kieran Tierney, who football.london understands is missing through illness; more to come from Mikel Arteta this evening no doubt in his pre-match press conference.
Reuell Walters amongst youngsters involved
With the squad as usual were a number of youth team players. Interestingly, the under-21s, coached by Mehmet Ali, were all training simultaneously across the field from the senior side, making it easier to determine who had been called up to work with the senior group.
Regular participant Reuell Walters was again given his chance to impress and with Tierney out, the versatile defender could indeed be in with a chance of making his first competitive senior call-up. Matt Smith was unsurprisingly involved, the central midfielder has been with the senior players and now being 22 will be looking to make an impact as soon as possible with his future at the club soon coming to a critical stage.
One of the less typical inclusions, however, was Portuguese midfielder Mauro Bandeira. The 19-year-old has been utilised at right-back in the youth side recently, however.
Charles Sagoe Jr was also with the senior group. Sagoe Jr recently took part in an interview with Nelson talking about the winger, Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe being an inspiration to him and other members of the youth side and he will hope to follow in their footsteps and perhaps make the plane for the trip to Portugal.
READ NEXT:
Arsenal wonderkids drafted in as Mikel Arteta is without senior stars for Sporting CP clash
Arsenal offered risky Premier League title-winning scenario ahead of Liverpool and Man City test
Arsenal's five immediate Leandro Trossard replacements vs Sporting CP with Gabriel Jesus hope
FA investigating Arsenal celebrations after last-minute Reiss Nelson winner vs Bournemouth
Arsenal news and transfers LIVE: All the latest news, rumours and gossip from the Emirates Stadium
