Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said that three of his injured troops have a "chance" of being passed fit for Sunday's Premier League showdown with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
All of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhaes had not returned to team training by the time that Arteta conducted his pre-game press conference on Friday, but fingers are crossed that the trio will be fine to take part.
With Takehiro Tomiyasu and Thomas Partey also back to full fitness, ACL victim Jurrien Timber might be the visitors' only absentee, and the Dutchman is expected to make his long-awaited comeback before the campaign draws to a close.
After sitting out the win over Brentford through ineligibility, David Raya was Arsenal's Porto penalty hero - keeping out two spot kicks as the Gunners reached the quarter-finals - and he will don the gloves in Manchester.
Gabriel's possible return to fitness would allow him to link arms with regular partner William Saliba, while Ben White starts at right-back as ever after rejecting the chance to turn out for England this month.
Jakub Kiwior has held his own at left-back recently, but Oleksandr Zinchenko may be preferred from the off against his former club, while Jorginho, Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice will comprise an unchanged midfield trio.
Gabriel Jesus will likely take his seat on the bench against his erstwhile employers, though, as Kai Havertz bids to score for the fifth Premier League game running in the number nine position.
Saka and Martinelli are primed to start alongside the German, but Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson and Leandro Trossard will be waiting in the wings should their services be required.
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
> Click here to see how Man City could line up for this clash
Ben Knapton
