Arsenal travel to Oxford United in the FA Cup this evening. A victory for the Gunners will see the north London progress to the next stage of the Champions League
To Mikel Arteta's delight, there has been no fresh injury blows since the Gunners' 4-2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on New Year's Eve. However, the Gunners could still be without three key players.
Gabriel Jesus and Reiss Nelson are expected to miss out on the clash against Oxford, with the two players not having featured in the last three Premier League matches, while Emile Smith Rowe could be making his return to the side.
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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.
The former Man City man has been keen to update Arsenal fans on his injury rehabilitation and posted last week that he no longer needed crutches. The striker has posted another encouraging update on his recovery that offers a more insightful view.
Expected return date: February / March 2023.
Emile Smith Rowe
Smith Rowe has been out for a considerable length of time. Even though he was hoping to return for Newcastle after returning to full training, Arteta is being cautious but may still opt risk him against Oxford United this evening.
What Arteta has said: "We need him fit and at his best. When we have that we have an incredible player that we have missed a lot," said Arteta.
"If he trains tomorrow, hopefully, he will be able to give us something on Monday."
Expected return date: January 2023.
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.
Ben White
White looked fatigued in the second half against Newcastle on Tuesday night and was taken off with 14 minutes to play for Takehiro Tomiyasu - leaving the pitch at a walking pace despite the Gunners needing a goal.
Mikel Arteta may be concerned with the English defender's fitness after starting the last two Premier League fixtures, but with the Japan international making a return to full fitness, it allows the Arsenal boss to rotate his side to keep players fresh.
Expected return date: Oxford (A) - January 9
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