Arsenal have welcomed three defenders back to training ahead of their Premier League match against Leeds United this weekend. Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie are all back in contention, providing a timely boost for manager Mikel Arteta.
White missed the heavy 3-0 defeat away to Brighton last month with a hamstring issue, while Mosquera has been absent since August 31 with a similar problem. Hincapie, who was on the bench for the Brighton game, has now completed his recovery from a muscle injury.
William Saliba is still out with a long-term injury and is not expected back until November at the earliest. Christos Tzolis is also facing around three weeks on the sidelines. Arteta has stressed the need for patience with Saliba's recovery. "He is in rest mode at the moment," the manager said. "He had to do almost nothing, an aggravated injury, so it's going to take some time to heal. We know that."
The returns are key as Arsenal, who sit second in the Premier League with 12 points from five games, face a congested schedule. They have nine matches in the next 27 days, starting with the visit of fifth-placed Leeds on Saturday. Three days later, they host Lille in the Champions League.
Arteta wants his squad to use the painful Brighton loss as motivation. He pointed to the team's strong start this season, which included six straight wins in all competitions, as proof of their resilience. The manager specifically highlighted the team's recent form, noting they have conceded only 4 goals in their last 5 league matches.
The full list of upcoming opponents, including Nottingham Forest and Bayern Munich, is available on our fixtures page.
With key players returning, Arteta's options are expanding for a vital period. The immediate focus is on bouncing back against Leeds at the Emirates Stadium.
More detail at Daily Mirror Football
