Arsenal’s first Premier League game following the November international break is a London derby against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday evening. International football can now be packed away and set aside until the new year, with Premier League and Champions League action taking precedence.
The Gunners entered the November break third in the league table, behind Liverpool (due to a lower goal difference) and Manchester City, with a 2-0 win over Sevilla putting them on course for a place in the knockout stages of European football’s elite competition.
With the holiday season approaching, Arsenal are slated to play 10 times in the two aforementioned tournaments in the next five weeks, and trips to Villa Park and Anfield will undoubtedly provide a better idea of the side’s title prospects.
The first match is a London derby versus Brentford on Saturday evening. The Gunners have already won at the Gtech Community Stadium this season, a 1-0 Carabao Cup victory thanks to Reiss Nelson’s strike, but Mikel Arteta will not have a completely healthy side to choose from for the Premier League clash.
Jurrien Timber and Thomas Partey are both out for the season and will not play against the Bees. Furthermore, the game is too soon for Emile Smith Rowe to return from a knee injury, although Martin Odegaard and Ben White are expected to return after missing the 3-1 win against Burnley.
However, Premier League rules state that two more Arsenal players Raya and Vieira are assured to be unavailable for selection this weekend, which will come as no surprise to Arteta, who would have factored in these absentees as soon as the final whistle blew against the Clarets.
