Mikel Arteta has been handed a huge injury boost ahead of Arsenal's trip to face Brighton this evening. Arteta confirmed yesterday that Japanese defender Takehiro Tomiyasu is set to be available for selection after being involved in first team training this week.
The 24-year-old will be available for the Gunners' trip to the south coast as Arteta's squad receives a welcome boost heading into a busy period of fixtures. Arsenal have picked up where they left off in the Premier League as they beat West Ham in a London derby at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal started slowly against the Hammers and went one goal down in the first half, but second half goals from Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah gave them all three points in a huge win. There were plenty of injury concerns for Arteta heading into the game, but coming out of it, there have been some boosts to him and his squad.
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With that said, here's a look at the latest Arsenal injury news and their return dates.
Takehiro Tomiyasu
Tomiyasu has returned to first team training after being hampered with injuries throughout the first half of the season and World Cup. The Japanese defender missed the Gunners last three Premier League fixtures before the break in November.
After taking part in running training, Tomiyasu now looks to end his own injury-hit season, but he wasn't able to feature against West Ham and will now be eyeing a return at the end of the year.
What Arteta has said: "Yeah, he's getting closer and closer. He's training with us so he's available."
Expected return date: Brighton and Hove Albion (A) - December 31, 2022
Gabriel Jesus
Jesus suffered medial ligament damage whilst playing for Brazil against Cameroon in the World Cup group stages. The 25-year-old later returned to London to undergo surgery on his knee.
While it is set to be a long road to recovery, with reports suggesting he could be out for up to four months of action, Jesus posted a positive update on his Instagram story last week, saying "the first week is gone." The caption was placed over the top of an image showing Jesus' right knee in a hefty brace.
Expected return date: February / March 2023.
Oleksandr Zinchenko
Zinchenko has battled injury all season since joining the Gunners, suffering a setback during his recovering in the World Cup break. However, a huge boost for Arteta was seeing the Ukraine international feature in the squad and even earning some minutes late in the game against West Ham.
Zinchenko was seen taking part in training ahead of the trip to Brighton and is expected to be involved.
Emile Smith Rowe
Smith Rowe has been out for a considerable length of time. Even though he was hoping to return for West Ham, Arteta is being cautious and may opt not to risk him just yet.
What Arteta has said: "He’s made big steps in the last week. He took part in some training sessions and looked good. We’re hoping to have him back soon."
Expected return date: January 2023.
Albert Sambi Lokonga
Lokonga was another first-team player absent against Juventus after suffering a foot injury in Dubai. However, it's seemingly just a precaution, so the Belgian is a minor doubt to feature against the Hammers.
Lokonga was spotted taking part in training and could feature against Brighton.
Expected return date: Brighton and Hove Albion (A) - December 31, 2022
Reiss Nelson
The extent of Nelson's hamstring injury is currently unknown, but Arteta admitted after the friendly with Juventus that it could be problematic.
What Arteta has said: "We don't know the extent of the injury. The fact that he had to leave the pitch straight away is not good news, especially with someone like Reiss who is really powerful and fast. Let's see what will happen. We know what we have to do and that doesn't change the plans [for the transfer window]."
Expected return date: Unknown.
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