Arsenal face an anxious wait on the fitness of four key players ahead of the highly anticipated north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur later this month.
Gunners' Injury Concerns Mount
According to reports from The Standard, Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, and Viktor Gyokeres are all in a race against time to be available for the crucial Premier League clash on November 23. The Gunners host their fierce rivals at the Emirates Stadium, looking to return to winning ways after a 2-2 draw with Sunderland.
The match arrives after the November international break, giving the players just under two weeks to prove their fitness. The involvement of all four stars is believed to depend entirely on their progression in the coming days.
Key Players on the Treatment Table
Kai Havertz has endured a frustrating start to the 2025-26 campaign, having made just one appearance – the season opener against Manchester United – before suffering a knee injury. His potential return against Thomas Frank's Spurs would be a major boost for Mikel Arteta's side.
Viktor Gyokeres has been sidelined with a muscle issue, missing recent fixtures against Sunderland and Slavia Prague. Captain Martin Odegaard has been managing a persistent knee problem that has caused him to miss several matches, while dynamic winger Gabriel Martinelli is battling a groin complaint.
Spurs Also Face Fitness Test
The fitness drama extends to the visitors' camp as well. Tottenham are hoping summer signing Mohammed Kudus will be available for the derby. The 25-year-old picked up a knock in the defeat to Chelsea on November 1 and subsequently missed matches against FC Copenhagen and Manchester United. His absence from Ghana's international fixtures confirms the concern.
Arsenal will be confident heading into the fixture, given their recent dominance in this rivalry. The Gunners are unbeaten in their last six Premier League meetings with Spurs, winning five of those encounters.
Arteta's men currently sit top of the Premier League table, while Tottenham occupy fifth place after the opening 11 games of the season. The last competitive derby in January saw Arsenal emerge 2-1 winners, with goals from Leandro Trossard and an unfortunate Dominic Solanke own goal sealing the victory.
