Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a doubt for the Boxing Day clash against Chelsea as Arsenal look to win their first Premier League game since November 1… but there is more bad news for under-pressure boss Mikel Arteta as Thomas Partey misses out again
- Arsenal last picked up three points in the league against Manchester United
- The Gunners are languishing in 15th and are on a seven-game winless run
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored five goals for the Gunners this season
- The Gabon forward has missed Arsenal’s last two matches with a calf problem
- However, Aubameyang could be fit for Boxing Day’s clash against Chelsea
- Thomas Partey is out though having failed to recover from a thigh problem
Arsenal are sweating on the fitness of captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ahead of their Boxing Day Premier League clash with London rivals Chelsea.
The forward has missed the last two games with a calf injury and boss Mikel Arteta will be keen to have him back as the Gunners look to address their poor run of form, which has landed them 15th in the table having gone seven league games without a win since beating Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford on November 1.
‘Auba is working hard with our medical team in order to regain full fitness as soon as possible,’ Arsenal’s update read.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has only scored five times for the Gunners so far this season
Thomas Partey will definitely miss Saturday’s clash against Chelsea due to a thigh problem
‘[He] has now joined outside drills and will continue to be assessed regarding availability ahead of Saturday.’
Thomas Partey (thigh) will miss out again after sustaining the injury in the 2-0 defeat to Tottenham earlier this month, with the Gunners’ official website stating: ‘Thomas is currently unavailable, but is progressing well to now working outside on close ball work, together with the continued focus on his overall fitness rehabilitation.’
Fellow midfielder Granit Xhaka is available having served a three-match ban and Gabriel Martinelli is likely to be fit after limping off against Manchester City on Tuesday.
Chelsea will hand late fitness tests to full-backs Ben Chilwell and Reece James ahead of the Emirates Stadium encounter.
Chilwell has an ankle issue and James a knee problem, and the England stars could miss both the Arsenal clash and Monday’s Stamford Bridge meeting with Aston Villa.
Hakim Ziyech is also still sidelined with a hamstring injury, but is closing in on a return to action.
Ben Chilwell’s fitness will be assessed after he went off early in the 3-0 victory over West Ham
Arsenal’s provisional squad: Bernd Leno, Runar Runarsson, Hector Bellerin, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Calum Chambers, Gabriel, David Luiz, Pablo Mari, Shkodran Mustafi, Sead Kolasinac, Kieran Tierney, Bukayo Saka, Dani Ceballos, Joe Willock, Mohamed Elneny, Granit Xhaka, Reiss Nelson, Emile Smith Rowe, Willian, Nicolas Pepe, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah, Folarin Balogun.
Chelsea’s provisional squad: Edouard Mendy, Willy Caballero, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, Fikayo Tomori,Kurt Zouma, Thiago Silva, Ben Chilwell, Reece James, Cesar Azpilicueta, Emerson Palmieri, Marcos Alonso, Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Billy Gilmour, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Tino Anjorin, Christian Pulisic, Tammy Abraham, Timo Werner, Olivier Giroud.
