Three players could return for Gameweek 9
Arsenal may have Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori available for Gameweek 9 after both took part in Friday’s training session. Christos Tzolis also returned to training, giving manager Mikel Arteta three players to assess again before making a decision. Noni Madueke’s ankle injury remains less clear: his status depends on whether he can complete Saturday’s full session.
That leaves Arsenal with several separate fitness questions rather than a single team-wide update. Training is an encouraging step for Rice, Calafiori and Tzolis, but it doesn’t by itself confirm that any of them will be ready to play. Arteta has set out a straightforward condition: they need to get through another session without problems before the club considers them available.
For Fantasy managers, that distinction matters. A player returning to training may look close to a comeback, but availability and a place in the starting team are different questions. Arsenal haven’t provided a guarantee of minutes for any of the three, so team selection still depends on Saturday’s update and, ultimately, Arteta’s choices.
“They all trained today. They will train tomorrow and if everything is okay, they will be available.” – Mikel Arteta on Riccardo Calafiori, Christos Tzolis and Declan Rice
Madueke’s situation calls for more caution. Arteta said Arsenal won’t know whether the winger is available until after the next session, and completing it is the test. That’s a more demanding threshold than simply joining part of training, though the manager hasn’t said what role Madueke could have if he passes it.
“We don’t know yet. We have a training session tomorrow. [Let’s] see if he can complete that full session tomorrow and after, we will know whether he’s available or not.” – Mikel Arteta on Noni Madueke’s availability
Saka and Saliba remain sidelined
Bukayo Saka and William Saliba are still out, with Saka dealing with a quad injury and Saliba with a back problem. Their absences are more definite than the possible returns above, although Arteta’s update on Saka leaves the timeline open. He said Saka will probably miss the period until after the international break, but Arsenal are waiting for another scan to assess the fluid around the injury.
That scan matters because the club is still gathering information about how the injury is resolving. Arteta didn’t confirm a return date, and his wording leaves room for the assessment to change once the results are available. Saka’s possible availability for England next week is uncertain too; the manager said it looks as though he could miss out, while stressing that Arsenal will have to wait for more information.
For now, there’s no firm basis for treating Saka as close to a return. His absence could extend beyond this gameweek, but the club’s next assessment will shape what can be said with confidence. That uncertainty is familiar in injury updates: an estimated window gives a useful guide, while a scan and the player’s progress determine whether the estimate holds.
“Probably [he will be out until after the international break]. He needed another scan to see the amount of fluid that was there resolving. Afterwards, we will know more about it.
“Again, I don’t know [if he’ll miss England duty]. It looks like it but we’ll have to wait and see next week.” – Mikel Arteta on Bukayo Saka
Saliba’s back problem was included in the update, but Arteta gave no further detail on its severity or expected duration. That means there’s little to read into beyond his current absence. For Arsenal, the practical task is to manage the options available while their defenders and attackers work through separate recovery timelines.
What the update means for team selection
Here’s the thing: a busy injury report can sound more conclusive than it is. Three players have resumed training, one still needs to complete a full session, and two remain sidelined with no confirmed return date. Those are different stages of assessment, and the distinction matters when judging who might be available for selection.
If you’re working out a Fantasy lineup, Saturday’s session is the key checkpoint for the players whose status is still in play. Even then, “available” won’t necessarily mean “starting”; it only tells you that a player has passed the fitness test Arteta described. The numbers here are underwhelming if you’re hoping for certainty, but they do narrow the question to a specific training update.
This is more significant than it looks for anyone weighing up Arsenal’s options: the club has identified the next decision point, but it hasn’t promised a return to the starting side. That’s the part most people overlook. A return to group training can mark progress without settling questions about match readiness, selection or minutes.
And yet, the update does offer a clearer picture of what to watch. Rice, Calafiori and Tzolis need to come through another session; Madueke needs to complete the full session; Saka’s timeline depends on further assessment; and Saliba remains unavailable. For this gameweek, those checkpoints are more useful than speculation about a precise lineup. Any further certainty will have to come from Arsenal’s next update.
Dowman suspension adds another selection constraint
Arsenal’s appeal over Max Dowman’s midweek red card was rejected, and he’ll serve a three-match suspension. That removes him from consideration during the suspension, adding another fixed absence to a week when several senior players’ availability is still being assessed. The club’s options will therefore depend on both the medical updates and the players eligible to take part.
A three-match ban also stretches beyond a single team-sheet decision. It gives Arsenal a defined period without Dowman, while the return dates for some injured players remain uncertain. For readers tracking the squad, the distinction is simple: the suspension is confirmed, while the possible returns still hinge on training and medical checks.
