Arsenal have seen their injury concerns ease considerably as they head towards the return of the Champions League. It was a difficult international break for the Gunners, who were hit by some high-profile setbacks and other scares involving important players.
However, Kai Havertz and Ezri Konsa both passed late fitness tests to start against Leeds as Arsenal came from behind to mark their return to Premier League action with a hard-fought win. Furthermore, Ben White was back in the team after missing the two games before the international break and Declan Rice played the full 90 minutes after being handed a rest upon withdrawing from England duty right at the start of an extended three-week window.
Gunners in good shape for Lille clash
As such, Arsenal are in good shape as they prepare for the visit of Olivier Giroud's Lille to the Emirates Stadium in the Champions League. With that in mind, here is all the latest Arsenal injury news and return dates.
Piero Hincapie was a victim of some horrid luck as he picked up an ankle injury after Saturday's defeat of Leeds. He was carried off the pitch after picking up a knock during the warm-down. The severity of his injury is not yet known and doubt has been cast over his involvement in this week's Champions League meeting with Lille. Potential return date: Unknown.
Tzolis out for weeks, Mosquera fit again
Christos Tzolis suffered a hamstring injury in Greece's penultimate Nations League fixture, a 2-2 draw at home against the Netherlands. Having initially refused to come off after receiving treatment, according to Greece head coach Ivan Jovanovic, the winger was eventually replaced in the 18th minute of the match and was said to have undergone a scan before returning to Arsenal.
Amid reports that Tzolis could be out for up to three weeks, Mikel Arteta delivered an update in the pre-Leeds press conference. “Tzolis has a muscle injury, and he's going to be out for a few weeks,” the Arsenal manager said. “He's not available yet.” If the three-week timeframe is accurate, Tzolis will be back in contention for the visit of Everton to north London on October 24, which is followed by a trip to Fleetwood in the Carabao Cup last 16 and showdown with Liverpool at Anfield. Potential return date: Saturday October 24, vs Everton (H).
Such is Arsenal's strength in depth, Cristhian Mosquera missed out on a place in the matchday squad despite returning to full fitness during the international break. The Spaniard has not played at all since sustaining a hamstring problem during the 1-0 win over Aston Villa on August 31. However, he is now fit again and can help bolster Arteta's defensive options even further against Lille as UEFA rules do allow for up to 12 substitutes in a Champions League fixture. Potential return date: Tuesday, October 13, vs Lille (H).
Saliba targeting comeback around December
William Saliba has yet to play for Arsenal this season due to a long-term back injury that he exacerbated while on duty for France at the World Cup finals this summer. Though he avoided surgery, he was expected to be sidelined for a period of months in a huge blow to Arteta.
No new official updates on Saliba have been forthcoming of late, with Arteta previously insisting that his progress has been strong but that he was unsure of an exact timeframe for his return to the pitch. The most recent reports from France have claimed that Saliba is now running again following a positive scan and is targeting a comeback around November or December. Potential return date: December.
