Arsenal are sweating on the fitness of captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ahead of their Boxing Day Premier League clash with London rivals Chelsea.
The forward has missed the last two games with a calf injury and boss Mikel Arteta will be keen to have him back as the Gunners look to address their poor run of form.
Chelsea will hand late fitness tests to full-backs Ben Chilwell and Reece James ahead of the Emirates Stadium encounter.
Chilwell has an ankle issue and James a knee problem, and the England stars could miss both the Arsenal clash and Monday’s Stamford Bridge meeting with Aston Villa.
Hakim Ziyech is also still sidelined with a hamstring injury but is closing in on a return to action.
Arsenal provisional squad: Leno, Runarsson, Bellerin, Maitland-Niles, Chambers, Gabriel, Luiz, Mari, Mustafi, Kolasinac, Tierney, Saka, Ceballos, Partey, Willock, Elneny, Xhaka, Nelson, Smith Rowe, Willian, Pepe, Aubameyang, Lacazette, Martinelli, Nketiah, Balogun.
Provisional squad: Mendy, Caballero, Arrizabalaga, Rudiger, Christensen, Tomori, Zouma, Silva, Chilwell, James, Azpilicueta, Emerson, Alonso, Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic, Gilmour, Mount, Havertz, Hudson-Odoi, Anjorin, Pulisic, Abraham, Werner, Giroud.
