Mikel Arteta confirms Arsenal duo won’t be available to face Nottingham Forest

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that the club will be without two players for the Premier League curtain-raiser against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

The Gunners start their campaign against Steve Cooper’s side at the Emirates Stadium, and they will be aiming to avenge the 1-0 defeat at City Ground back in May.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arteta revealed that he has almost a full squad at his disposal, barring Mohamed Elneny and Gabriel Jesus.

Elneny underwent a surgery for a serious knee injury in January. The Egyptian is still going through his rehabilitation and there is no fixed date for his comeback.

Jesus likewise had a minor operation on his knee this month. He is anticipated to return in the space of a few weeks, and won’t play any part against Forest tomorrow.

Arteta told Arsenal.com: “I think everybody is going to be available, I think Mo is still out and we have Gabriel Jesus who still has an injury, but the rest should be fine.”

Arsenal exceeded expectations during the last top-flight campaign. They were top of the standings for nearly eight months, but dropped off right towards the end.

The north London giants finished the season with a five-point deficit to eventual champions Manchester City, and they should learn from their mistakes this term.

Apart from defensive errors, the club also struggled due to key injuries during the backend of the season.

Jesus is a huge miss up front for the Gunners, but they have adequate cover with Eddie Nketiah, Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard capable of leading the line.

Arsenal had a strong start to the previous campaign with five wins on the bounce, and Arteta will be hoping that his players can replicate the same form this term.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com