Arsenal without Gabriel Martinelli for Crystal Palace clash

Posted Wednesday, January 13, 2021 by PA

Gabriel Martinelli will miss Arsenal’s clash with Crystal Palace due to an ankle injury, but the forward is expected to return to training this week.

The teenager went down in the warm up before Saturday’s FA Cup tie with Newcastle and boss Mikel Arteta feared the worst. Scans have shown it was only a twisted ankle but he will sit out the visit of the Eagles.

Arsenal do have centre-back Gabriel available after he recovered from coronavirus, while central midfielder Thomas Partey (thigh) has returned to full training and could be involved.

Mamadou Sakho is the latest player to join Crystal Palace’s growing injury list after he sustained a thigh problem in Friday’s FA Cup defeat at Wolves.

The club are still awaiting the full diagnosis of his injury, but the defender is set to follow Jeffrey Schlupp (hamstring) in being sidelined for a long period of time. Scott Dann (thigh) and Gary Cahill (hamstring) are fit again though.

Long-term absentees Wayne Hennessey (thigh), Nathan Ferguson (knee) and Connor Wickham (thigh) remain absent.

Arsenal provisional squad: Leno, Runarsson, Bellerin, Maitland-Niles, Chambers, Holding, Luiz, Mari, Mustafi, Gabriel, Tierney, Saka, Ceballos, Partey, Willock, Elneny, Xhaka, Smith Rowe, Willian, Pepe, Aubameyang, Lacazette, Nketiah, Balogun.

Crystal Palace provisional squad: Guaita, Clyne, Kouyate, Tomkins, Mitchell, Townsend, McArthur, Milivojevic, Eze, Zaha, Benteke, Butland, Van Aanholt, Cahill, Dann, McCarthy, Riedewald, Batshuayi, Ayew, Henderson, Ward, Woods, Meyer, Pierrick.