Arsenal are without two key first-team stars for the trip to Aston Villa as Aaron Ramsdale and Gabriel Martinelli both miss the contest with injury.
Ramsdale has been an ever-present for the Gunners since he signed at the tail-end of the summer transfer window but is not fit enough to be between the sticks at Villa Park. Reports emerged late Friday night that the 23-year-old had picked up a knock during training and could be a doubt.
However, those fears appeared to have been eased when footage of Ramsdale getting on the team bus alongside his teammates started to circulate. Unfortunately for Arsenal fans and manager Mikel Arteta, the England international is clearly only there for moral support. The club have already confirmed it is an injury to Ramsdale's hip that keeps him out of of the Saturday lunch-time kick-off.
Prior to kick-off, Arteta told BT Sport that Ramsdale will be out of action for a "few weeks" as a result of the Muscle injury. In his place comes former Arsenal number one Bernd Leno, who was a regular for the club before being dislodged by Ramdale earlier on this campaign. Gunners fans will be optimistic the German's previous experience ensures he is a more than capable back-up.
In what will be a personal hammer blow, it is now widely expected that Ramsdale will miss the upcoming England camp in a bid to recover in time for what is sure to be a tense finish to the league season at club level.
Ramsdale is not the only absentee that will be a cause for concern, Martinelli also misses out after the Brazilian has tested positive for Covid-19 just days after his stellar display against Liverpool. The 20-year-old was Arsenal's brightest star during the midweek home defeat by the Reds.
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Martinelli gave Trent Alexander-Arnold one of his toughest tests all season at the Emirates and will undoubtedly be sorely missed on that left flank at Villa Park on Saturday afternoon. With that being said, his replacement comes in the form of Emile Smith Rowe - Arsenal's top scorer this term.
The England international has been forced to take his opportunities off the bench in recent weeks, such is the fine form of both Martinelli and Martin Odegaard keeping him out of the Gunners starting line-up. Arteta will be desperate for Smith Rowe to add to his tally of 9 Premier League goals against Steven Gerrard's side.
Between the sticks for Arsenal's hosts stands ex-Gunners goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, the Argentine keen to help dent his former side's hopes of a top-four finish. Arteta's men currently sit in fourth spot before kick-off at Villa Park, one point ahead of nearest rivals Manchester United in fifth despite having played two games less.
