Arsenal guaranteed to be without three players for Crystal Palace Premier League clash

Arsenal travel to Crystal Palace on Saturday after only facing the Eagles just days earlier in the Carabao Cup.

The Gunners came away 3-2 winners on Wednesday night but Mikel Arteta expects the Premier League clash to be slightly different. "It is different," the Spaniard admitted in his pre-match press conference.

"Obviously we played very recently and we analysed them so you don't have to do that too much. I’m sure that both teams will adjust and probably change a few things and change some personnel as well. Apart from that we know what the difficulty of the game is, we know what it means to go to Selhurst Park and we have prepared for that."

Arsenal will be able to call upon Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori against Palace this time around, though. Rice was not included in the matchday squad on Wednesday after being forced off against Everton last week, while Calafiori has not played since last month's win over West Ham.

Asked for an update on the pair on Friday, Arteta said: "They are both available to be in the squad." The Arsenal boss also admitted that Oleksandr Zinchenko would "probably" be available for the clash at Palace. Elsewhere, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain out with knee injuries, with the duo not expected to return until 2025.

Neto can again be named in the matchday squad after sitting out of Wednesday's tie due to being cup tied. Arteta did not mention any other fitness concerns so football.london understands the Gunners have 21 fit and eligible senior players available for selection for the game vs Crystal Palace. As per Premier League rules, a club is allowed to name a squad of 20 players for a Premier League match.

That does include both Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly, who are classed as Arsenal Academy members on the Gunners official website but have been included in most matchday squads this season. With a few players making their returns, it could mean Kieran Tierney misses out of the squad entirely.

Asked if the defender could leave in January, Arteta said: "At the moment he is here with us. I wouldn't play a player who is thinking of leaving or not committed to us. He’s fully committed and enjoying after a long period out with injury. Live the moment. He’s a big part of the squad now, he deserves to be in the squad. He played really well after a long time. That’s all I can say."

Possible Arsenal squad for Crystal Palace: Raya, Neto; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Jorginho, Partey, Merino, Nwaneri, Odegaard; Trossard, Sterling, Jesus, Havertz, Martinelli, Saka.

Senior players unavailable for Crystal Palace: White (knee injury), Tomiyasu (knee injury), Zinchenko (muscle injury - doubt)