Arsenal were missing a host of first team players as they faced Juventus in a mid-season friendly at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners beat AC Milan earlier in the week as Mikel Arteta ramped up preparations for the return of domestic football in just over a week, but the boss was still missing a group of stars.
Ben White, Granit Xhaka, Aaron Ramsdale and Thomas Partey returned from their World Cup duties to start the game, whilst Matt Turner was on the bench. France international William Saliba is the only player left in Qatar as they prepare to face Argentina in the final on Sunday.
Outside of that, there was no place for Albert Sambi Lokonga or Oleksandr Zinchenko. The latter has been out with another injury following his consistent frustration with knocks throughout the season, meanwhile Lokonga, who wasn't part of Roberto Martinez's Belgium side, was also missing from the squad.
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Reiss Nelson had to go off injured less than half an hour into the game, compounding the issues for Arteta, and football.london understands that it is a knock to Lokonga's foot that is currently keeping him out of action. There is a good news on the Zinchenko front with him progressing, though.
It's also understood that Takehiro Tomiyasu is out with a hamstring injury following his role in Japan's run to the last-16 before losing out to Croatia on penalties. Gabriel Jesus remains out after his own long-term injury in Qatar.
Arteta does have a boost coming his way, however, with Arsenal stars Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli both due back in the next few days. The pair both got to the quarter-finals of the World Cup, with Saka part of the England side dumped out by France, while Martinelli was on the losing side of Brazil's penalty shootout against Croatia.
Arsenal next play West Ham in the Premier League at the Emirates Stadium on Boxing Day as the season resumes after the break for the World Cup.
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