Arsenal suffer huge injury setback with three stars set to miss Fulham clash

Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal will be without Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah, and Leandro Trossard for the match against Fulham on Sunday.

Gabriel Jesus has been a long-term absentee, with Nketiah and January signing Trossard also suffering injuries in recent weeks, with Gabriel Martinelli starting through the middle of the Europa League match against Sporting.

The Gunners lead the Premier League by five points, but they face a tough test against in-form Fulham, who are only six points out of a Champions League spot.

With his two centre forwards and makeshift option Trossard still unavailable, Arteta is confident that his attacking options will provide solutions.

‘Eddie is out as well, so we have Gabi out, Eddie out, and Leo out, so we have to adapt in this period of the season,’ Arteta explained to Sky Sports.

‘We have different options, we can play with a winger as a 9, we can play with a false 9,’ he added.

Jesus has not played for Arsenal since November due to knee surgery, and he was expected to travel to Portugal for Thursday’s Europa League match against Sporting.

Arteta, on the other hand, changed those plans, with the manager carefully managing his return from a lengthy layoff.

Meanwhile, Nketiah missed last weekend’s 3-2 win over Bournemouth and the 2-2 draw with Sporting due to an ankle injury.

Trossard left the game against the Cherries in the first half due to a groyne injury.

‘It’s a concern,’ Arteta said after the game of Trossard.

‘He came to me straight away and told me he could not continue because he had felt something when he was tracking back after the corner.

‘We need to evaluate him and see how he is.’

Martin Odegaard and Kieran Tierney both missed Thursday’s draw due to illness. The club captain is expected to return in time for the trip to Craven Cottage on Sunday.