Test for Arsenal squad with tough week ahead

The north London derby is just around the corner and anticipation is building in the Arsenal fanbase before the match, but this is just the start of an important three games for the Gunners.

Arsenal play Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, before taking on Bayern Munich in midweek in the Champions League and then Chelsea the following Sunday.

Mikel Arteta has a number of issues to deal with as a number of players are out injured or have doubts over their fitness.

Centre-back Gabriel is arguably the biggest blow because of the way he has been playing this season and the threat he offers in the opposition box.

Gabriel has two goals and three assists this season, with only four Arsenal players involved in more goals than the defender.

Riccardo Calafiori also left the Italy camp early with questions over his fitness. A source has said this is just load management but Arteta will be able to update about this later on Friday in his news conference before the north London derby.

Piero Hincapie could be in line to come in at centre-back if Calafiori is fit.

Hincapie has started in central defence against Brighton in the Carabao Cup and at left-back against Slavia Prague in the Champions League, and Arteta is a big fan of the intensity with which the Ecuador international approaches matches. That could be useful in the game against Spurs at Emirates Stadium.

In the forward area, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinielli, Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Odegaard have all been unavailable in recent weeks, but there are hopes a couple of those may be back for Sunday's game.

Come back to this page later on Friday for all the key lines from Arteta's news conference