Arsenal get Viktor Gyokeres injury blessing as Mikel Arteta prepares for quadruple boost

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Viktor Gyokeres' lack of inclusion in the Sweden national team could be a blessing in disguise for Arsenal despite injury

The loss of so many players at the start of the season for Arsenal is no doubt frustrating at the very least for Mikel Arteta. Three senior centre-forwards were out of action as the Gunners put three past Slavia Prague on Tuesday night.

Mikel Merino was again the unorthodox choice to lead the attack. Now it has been revealed that Viktor Gyokeres has not been called up for the Swedish national side having suffered a muscular injury against Burnley.

This could, however, come as something as a blessing in disguise for the Gunners. football.london understands that fears over something more serious for the striker have simmered and there is even hope that he could return for the first match following the international break, the North London Derby.

There are others fighting to return, such as Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz, in addition to Gyokeres. The break comes at a great time for Arsenal, with Arteta confirming that all three longer-term absentees might indeed be welcomed back following the weekend off from domestic action.

“I would say weeks, and some of them pretty soon, hopefully, if they keep evolving the way they are doing,” Arteta said. “Difficult to put a game, you know, that we have the international break, which is a two-week break there.

“And after that, I think we'll have some back. I don't know if it's going to be all of them, some of them, but we'll be quite close by then.”

The break can often be a time of blind faith that none of a manager’s stars will suffer any issues, but with several not joining up with their respective nations as they continue their recovery it means that they’re not at risk of suffering problems while away.

With Arsenal top of the Premier League, joint-top of the Champions League and into the quarter-finals of the League Cup, getting so many players back in the coming weeks should send a clear message out that this team is only going to get better.