Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta and Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca have both provided major injury updates before their two teams meet in Premier League action this Sunday. Both London clubs sit on 18 points in the table with the Blues in fourth on goal difference, however that could all change this weekend.

Despite having lost their last two away games and scored in neither, the Gunners will be keen to bounce back and pick up a statement victory at Stamford Bridge. The return of Martin Odegaard could certainly go some way to that scenario playing out, however injury issues continue to plague Arteta.

Declan Rice missed the trip to Inter due to a knock picked up against Newcastle last weekend with it later revealed the midfielder suffered a broken toe. In his Friday press conference, Arteta offered an update on his condition with it certainly sounding as though he will be unavailable.

“I have to be very vague on that one because there’s no clarity if he’s going to be fit on the weekend,” the Arsenal boss revealed when speaking to reporters at the Sobha Realty Training centre. “He hasn’t trained yet and it’s not clear if he’ll be able to play.”

Mikel Merino and Kai Havertz meanwhile, both appeared to suffer head injuries against Inter Milan with the latter left covered in blood. Arteta opted to remain tight-lipped on their condition especially having already revealed Merino was dealing with an issue before Inter.

“We will have to wait to see how they react,” he said. “Kai had a nasty cut so we had to take him off. With Mikel he wasn’t feeling great the day before so we had to sub him at half time.” Elsewhere, Riccardo Calafiori remains absent after picking up a knee injury last month with his return likely to arrive after the October international.

Due to being on loan from Chelsea, Raheem Sterling is unable to face his parent club just over two months on from sealing a temporary departure. Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney are the long-term absentees still missing, though Arteta is hopeful both can return in the coming weeks.

As for Chelsea, their potential list of absentees is far shorter, with just three players as doubts to feature in the London derby. The main concerns surround Cole Palmer after being on the end of a horror tackle on his knee left during the draw against Manchester United with Enzo Maresca later revealing he could not train earlier this week.

For the Conference League clash at home to Noah, Palmer was spotted in and around Stamford Bridge. In three days time, the Blues will be hoping he is on the pitch for the huge Premier League clash against Arsenal, with Maresca now issuing a fresh update.

Speaking in a press conference, he said: “He’s better. He’s getting better. If he can walk and have dinner, that doesn’t mean he is completely fit. He’s getting better. Hopefully we can have him for the session at least on Saturday and then we can take a decision.”

Jadon Sancho has also been out of the squad in recent weeks with his latest absence because of a knock, though Maresca is hopeful he can return against the Gunners. “He is recovering from [illness]. He had a knock in the session. He is out for tomorrow, and we will see if he is available [this weekend] or after the international break,” he said.

Concerns around Enzo Fernandez also emerged after his early substitution in European action, however Maresca confirmed that decision was technical. The only other Chelsea player dealing with an injury is Omari Kellyman with the summer signing absent for the last two months because of a hamstring issue.

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