Riccardo Calafiori, Ethan Nwaneri, Jurrien Timber, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Martinelli train ahead of Arsenal's Champions League fixture.(Image: (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images))

Arsenal get major Ethan Nwaneri and William Saliba injury update ahead of Dinamo Zagreb

by · football.london

Arsenal could be boosted by the return of two key players as they prepare to face Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday. The Gunners sit third in the Champions League table on 13 points from their opening six fixtures and have put themselves in a strong position to qualify for the last 16.

The top eight from the 36-team league phase gain automatic qualification into the knockout phase and the Gunners are part of that elusive group right now. A win against Dinamo could guarantee a place in the last 16 should results go their way across matchday seven this midweek.

And Arteta, who has seen his Arsenal squad shredded in recent times due to injuries, has been handed a welcome boost ahead of his side's clash with Dinamo. Ethan Nwaneri and Riccardo Calafiori were both spotted in training in Tuesday as both players bid to return to action in the near future.

Nwaneri has been out since picking up an injury in the 1-1 draw with Brighton on Saturday, January 4, missing the last four matches across all competitions. As for Calafiori, he been out for the last couple of weeks with a muscle problem, having not featured against Manchester United, Tottenham and Aston Villa.

While it's unknown whether Nwaneri and Calafiori are going to be fit to face Dinamo, the fact they are both back in training is no doubt a huge boost for the Gunners.

They have some important fixtures coming up, none more so than the next couple in the Premier League, including the clash with Manchester City on Sunday, February 2.

However, in unfortunate news, William Saliba was not spotted on the grass. The Frenchman sat out of Arsenal's 2-2 draw with Villa and it's reported that he will miss the next three matches.

Arteta admitted he was 'very worried' about the Gunners' options at the back, with Takehiro Tomiyasu also sidelined.

Speaking after Saturday's stalemate, he said: "Tomorrow we will have more information. Tomorrow we will have another test on him and it will be more clear." Quizzed on whether he was worried, Arteta replied: "Yeah, for sure. Especially with the numbers that we have in the squad and looking at our bench. Very worried."