Five Arsenal stars absent from training despite huge Mikel Arteta injury boost

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Arsenal have returned to training following their midweek Champions League quarter-final victory at Sporting CP

Arsenal were back in training at London Colney on Thursday as they gear up for Saturday's huge Premier League meeting with Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners returned from Lisbon on Wednesday following their 1-0 Champions League win over Sporting CP ahead of next week's second leg on home soil.

There was a major boost for Mikel Arteta as Eberechi Eze was able to return from a recent calf injury that kept him out of the Carabao Cup final and England's two international friendlies versus Uruguay and Japan.

But crucially, another set of stars were also absent including captain Martin Odegaard and Riccardo Calafiori, who both started in Portugal.

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Bukayo Saka, Piero Hincapie and Jurrien Timber did not participate in the session either as they step up their fitness following recent injury issues.

Saka has been missing since the Carabao Cup final and he was also forced to withdrew from England duty due to an unspecified issue.

Hincapie picked up a hamstring problem while playing for Ecuador in a friendly against Morocco at Atletico Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano.

Timber has not featured since the 2-0 win over Everton last month when he took a blow to the ankle and also picked up a groin injury.

Arsenal can move 12 points clear at the Premier League summit with victory over the Cherries this weekend.

That would pile the pressure of rivals Manchester City, who have to travel to Chelsea on Sunday as they look to build on recent momentum.

Once this weekend's fixtures have been completed, City will still have a game in hand over Arsenal, who they will meet at the Etihad Stadium later this month.

Arteta is due to provide a key injury update on Friday when he will address the media ahead of Saturday's clash with Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth.

The Gunners won the return fixture 3-2 at the Vitality Stadium in January when Declan Rice netted twice for the visitors.

Bournemouth have had a notable period of rest since their last match on March 20 when they held Manchester United to a 2-2 draw on the South Coast.

The Cherries are on an 11-match unbeaten run, though they have drawn the majority of those games. They have not lost a top-flight game since Antoine Semenyo departed for Manchester City on January 9.