Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has refused to rule attacker Gabriel Martinelli out of Sunday's North London derby with Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates.
The Brazil international picked up a hamstring strain in the first half of last weekend's 1-0 win over Everton and missed Wednesday's 4-0 Champions League success over PSV Eindhoven as a result.
Prior to the four-goal thrashing of PSV, in which Martinelli's replacement Leandro Trossard came up with a goal and assist, Arteta insisted that the former had a chance of being fit for Sunday's crunch match.
The Spaniard was asked for a further update on Martinelli's condition in Friday's pre-game press conference and confirmed that the attacker was still being assessed, but Thomas Partey (groin) remains out alongside knee victims Jurrien Timber and Mohamed Elneny.
"With Gabi we are still assessing him, so let's see if he can make the game or not. Thomas for sure is out," Arteta told reporters when delivering a fitness update. "The rest we hope are available, yes we still have two training sessions, but there were no big issues in midweek.
Arsenal head into the first North London derby of the season having tied captain Martin Odegaard down to a new long-term contract until the summer of 2028 - their seventh contract extension in the space of a year.
Odegaard joins Martinelli, Aaron Ramsdale, Gabriel Magalhaes, Reiss Nelson, William Saliba and Bukayo Saka in signing fresh terms at the Emirates over the past 12 months, and Arteta believes that the Norwegian has found a home in England.
"It's great news for the club, great news for the team, I'm really happy for him as well because he really deserves that. It just shows that there are many ways to make it and many pathways to arrive where you want," Arteta added.
"In the end, it's about finding a place where you feel comfortable, where you feel valued and you can express your talent. I think he's found that place. He's loved by everybody, respected by everybody and he fully deserves what he's doing."
While Ramsdale only extended his stay until 2026 a few months ago, the England international has been demoted to the bench by Brentford loanee David Raya for the Gunners' wins over Everton and PSV, having initially kept hold of the number one spot following the Spaniard's arrival.
Arteta was loath to discuss the goalkeeping situation before Wednesday's victory, and he confirmed that he had not decided who would start as the last line of defence against Tottenham, but he praised Ramsdale for his reaction to being dropped.
"He's been very supportive, he's been really good around the place and that's what I expect from every single player, because when you are on the field there is someone else who is not. So it goes both ways and so far he's been really really good," Arteta said of Ramsdale.
"I understand it, and it's very difficult with every player, and I suffer and care about every player who is not playing. But this is the competition and it is my job to make decisions in the best possible way for the team.
"Aaron is an exceptional character and he's got this charisma and aura around him and we all know that and I fully understand that. It happens with many other players."
Arsenal sit two places below Tottenham in the table on goal difference, but they have not lost a Premier League fixture to the Lilywhites at the Emirates since the 2010-11 season and have won four of their last five matches against their bitter rivals. body check tags ::
