Arsenal has two stars ruled out for the Chelsea clash

Arsenal has two stars ruled out with injuries for the big Chelsea clash in the Premier League this weekend.

An almost fully fit team is available for Mikel Arteta to pick from before Sunday’s game at Chelsea.

Only a win will keep the Gunners at the top of the Premier League standings going into their match against the Blues at Stamford Bridge.

Arsenal are unbeaten in their last three league visits to Chelsea. But they will need to be at their best to beat Graham Potter’s side who haven’t lost at home since he replaced the sacked Thomas Tuchel.

This week, Arteta received a quadruple fitness boost. Bukayo Saka’s injury suffered against Nottingham Forest was not serious, and he was selected for the team to play FC Zurich at home on Thursday in the Europa League.

Mohamed Elneny also made his first appearance since August following a hamstring injury, while Oleksandr Zinchenko was back in a match-day squad for the first time in a month.

Players ruled out for Arsenal-Chelsea clash

Emile Smith Rowe

Smith Rowe hasn’t played since September due to an ongoing groin problem. Arsenal staff finally decided that he needed an operation and he is yet to return.

The England international is not yet out on the training field and will not feature before the World Cup.

Arsenal have done well in Smith Rowe’s absence but his position is an area of the pitch where they are short.

Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have both started every league game so far this term. Arteta will need Smith Rowe back in 2023 to give him more options in attack.

Matt Turner

Back-up goalkeeper Turner was again absent from the squad against Zurich.

The American also has a groin issue which has now kept him out of the last three matches.

He would not have featured at Chelsea anyway, with Aaron Ramsdale firmly the No 1. However, any issue for Ramsdale would leave Karl Hein as the only other option for Arteta between the sticks.

Hein is yet to make his Arsenal debut but has already won 20 caps for his country Estonia, despite not turning 21 until next April.

Academy stopper James Hillson was the second keeper on the bench against Zurich.