Mikel Arteta appears to have been handed a triple boost ahead of Sunday’s key Premier League showdown against Newcastle United.
The Gunners need just a solitary point to secure Champions League qualification, while a victory would see them confirm second place for a third season in a row.
Newcastle, however, have become Arsenal’s bogey side over the last few years and have won their last three games against Arteta’s side, including the Carabao Cup semi final first leg at the Emirates back in January.
Arsenal will be without Mikel Merino after the former Newcastle midfielder picked up a red card for two bookable offences in last weekend’s 2-2 draw at Liverpool.
Declan Rice, who missed the match at Anfield, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli were also doubts for tomorrow’s game but all three were spotted in training on Saturday in pictures posted on Arsenal’s official website.
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Arteta has had to deal with a significant number of injuries this season. Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and defender Gabriel have all been sidelined for significant periods this term.
When asked if he had any regrets, Arteta said: ‘I wouldn’t use that word. I think you probably have regrets in your life and anything that you do in professional life as well when you haven’t done your best.
‘But I can guarantee and give you my word that we have all tried our very best. If you ask if we wanted a different outcome, especially with how close we’ve come again, then the answer is yes.
‘However, that doesn’t undermine a lot of incredible things that this team has done again in the context that we play, against the opposition that we play, and with the circumstances that we have had.’
Arteta, meanwhile, Arteta believes the era of the Premier League’s so-called ‘Big Six’ is over.
With Pep Guardiola’s City scrambling to salvage a Champions League spot, and both Manchester United and Tottenham relying on Europa League success to claim Champions League qualification, Arteta said: ‘The level has gone to something bigger than what we have experienced in the previous 12 months and in the past.
‘I know a lot of the coaches and we have had discussions about that, and it is frightening the way that it is evolving, and how competitive it is, and how difficult it is to win, and because the margins are so small next season is going to be even more difficult.
‘If you ask any manager at the end of the season: ‘Can you promise to be in the Champions League next season?’, I don’t know who is going to say ‘yes’ to that, so that tells you the story.
‘We understand the expectations and how people think but to get sustainability, stability and to be in the best possible position as a football club, as a squad and as a team, you certainly have to be in that competition.’