Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been dealt two crushing defensive injury blows ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash with Brighton & Hove Albion at the Emirates Stadium.
Despite Arteta's denials, the Gunners are understood to be working without William Saliba (back) and Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf) for their final two games of the season, as the pair join long-term knee victims Mohamed Elneny and Takehiro Tomiyasu on the sidelines.
Saliba's slow progress in his recovery was well-documented, but Zinchenko sustained his problem in last weekend's 2-0 win at Newcastle United, and his contributions will be sorely missed.
However, Kieran Tierney enjoyed a bright cameo at Newcastle - reportedly one of his admirers - last time out, and the Scotland international will come in for a rare start at the Emirates.
Jakub Kiwior is beginning to blossom in the backline and should once again join forces with Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes in front of Aaron Ramsdale, who is believed to be on the verge of signing a new-and-improved contract.
Arteta took quite the risk by leaving the physical Thomas Partey on the bench at St James' Park, but Jorginho put in a man-of-the-match display and no doubt deserves to hold his place alongside Granit Xhaka and Martin Odegaard, who netted his 15th goal of the season from open play on Tyneside.
Leandro Trossard hit the ground running at Arsenal following his acrimonious exit from Brighton, but the Belgian will likely be consigned to a substitute appearance against his former employers as Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus form a fearsome attacking trident.
Arsenal possible starting lineup: Ramsdale; White, Kiwior, Gabriel, Tierney; Odegaard, Jorginho, Xhaka; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli
Ben Knapton
