Eddie Nketiah or Leandro Trossard: Which player is now closer to Arsenal return - journalist

By Sam Preston

Leandro Trossard is closer to his Arsenal injury return than Eddie Nketiah ahead of Sunday’s game with Fulham.

Both forwards missed last night’s 2-2 draw with Sporting, while Gabriel Jesus was left in England to continue his injury recovery.

Mikel Arteta desperately needs a forward back fit ahead of the London derby at Craven Cottage against Marco Silva’s high-flying side.

Journalist Charles Watts said on his YouTube channel that Trossard is the likelier of the short-term absentees to make a comeback.

Leandro Trossard closer to Arsenal return than Eddie Nketiah

He said: “Gabriel Jesus didn’t make the trip, Arsenal decided to leave him in England which I can understand. Whether Fulham is too early for him, we’ll have to wait and see. I suggest it probably will be but you never know.

“Mikel spoke about it last night, Arsenal are struggling when it comes to forwards as they have got so many injuries there.

“They could really do with Jesus, Nketiah or Trossard back at the moment, they really, really could.

“Trossard I think is probably the closest, certainly between him and Nketiah to coming back. Jesus, obviously very close, it’s just is he ready, do we risk it? We’ll wait and see.”

Arteta took steps to bolster his attacking options in January, and now Trossard and Nketiah, the man who was deputising for Jesus, have injury issues.

That is offset by Jesus’ impending injury return, but Arsenal do not want to rush their number nine and risk a setback ahead of the run-in.

Opportunity may knock for academy graduates Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson in games to come; Nelson took his chance emphatically against Bournemouth and Smith Rowe will be desperate to make a mark this term, having suffered injury problems.