Arsenal were held to a 2-2 draw by Sunderland on Saturday, with Mikel Arteta’s side missing a number of key players through injury – but when are they expected to return to the action?
Mikel Arteta was without several crucial players for Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Sunderland AFC on Saturday, which may have proved significant in dropping points. The Gunners travelled to the Stadium of Light as clear favourites, despite the Black Cats’ impressive unbeaten home record this season.
Yet Arsenal headed back to London with just a single point rather than all three, after Brian Brobbey’s dramatic late strike secured a draw for the hosts. Fortunately, the Premier League table-toppers now have a fortnight’s respite during the November international break, providing Arsenal with valuable time to rest and recuperate before the North London derby, scheduled for Sunday, November 23 at the Emirates Stadium.
Here, Mirror Football looks at the Gunners’ current injury situation, and when key players such as Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard are anticipated to return to action….
READ MORE: Mikel Arteta handed huge injury boost over SIX Arsenal stars for frantic fixture listREAD MORE: Bukayo Saka issues honest response to Arsenal setback as Man City stun Liverpool
Viktor Gyokeres
Beyond missing Arsenal’s fixture against Sunderland, Gyokeres was also unavailable for his team’s midweek Champions League encounter with Slavia Prague due to a muscular problem picked up against Burnley.
When questioned before the Sunderland match about Arsenal’s injury concerns, Arteta responded: “Some of them, all of them I don’t know. There are a lot of things that have to happen in the next two weeks, and everything has to be perfect, but I think we’ll be very close with most of them to be in a really strong position,” reports football.london.
Predicted return date: Late November
Martin Odegaard
The Arsenal captain had only just recovered from a shoulder problem when he was forced off against West Ham with a knee issue last month. So far this season, he has managed just 204 minutes of Premier League action.
Predicted return date: Late November
Kai Havertz
Havertz has featured even less than Odegaard in the league, with the German international playing for only 30 minutes during Arsenal’s opening fixture against Manchester United. He sustained a knee injury during that match which required minor surgery, with Arteta confirming recently that he will need careful monitoring before making his comeback.
Speaking last week about Havertz, Arteta said: “Let’s see how he absorbs the load first when he starts to train with us, and when he’s done that, obviously we’re going to have to, especially in the first few weeks, keep an eye on him to manage the amount of minutes and when we play him.”
Predicted return date: Early December.
Gabriel Martinelli
Martinelli has been absent from Arsenal’s last four fixtures after picking up a knock against Crystal Palace in October, and didn’t even make the bench against Sunderland. However, he could be available for selection again once the international break concludes.
Predicted return date: Late November
Noni Madueke
Despite demonstrating considerable promise since his transfer from Stamford Bridge, Madueke has been side-lined for nearly two months following a knee injury picked up in September.
Predicted return date: Late November
Gabriel Jesus
Jesus continues his rehabilitation from an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered during Arsenal’s FA Cup fixture against Manchester United in January, and whilst he has resumed training, he remains some distance from being available for selection.
Discussing the striker last week, Arteta said: “It’s about making the steps day-by-day in a different surrounding. He’s been doing everything on his own; now he’s got very competitive players around him, and let’s see how he copes with that. But he’s full of energy.”
Predicted return date: Mid-December
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
