Arsenal host Tottenham in the first North London derby of the season on Sunday afternoon. The Gunners are looking to capitalise on their good form, which has seen them win their last three games across all competitions and draw level on points with their bitter rivals, who have slipped after leading the early running.

While Spurs have several injuries to contend with,  the Gunners were handed a boost in their team news earlier today, revealing that their entire squad is fully fit for what is already an early season-deciding match. Defeat for Mikel Arteta, on home soil, would see Arsenal fall six points behind their fellow European hopefuls, while victory would act as a springboard after a tough start.

Arteta hints at Xhaka return, saying midfielder is “flying”

One of the conspicuous absentees for Arsenal’s three most recent victories was Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka, who was serving a three-match suspension for a red card picked up against Manchester City.

The 28-year-old midfielder also contracted Covid while on international duty, but Mikel Arteta hinted that he was back to full fitness and in contention to start, saying:

“He came back and he was flying.”

Xhaka, who was close to departing the club for Roma this summer, is seemingly an experienced pillar on which Arteta places his faith, having made 31 appearances for the Gunners last season.

With his return, the 4-3-3 that Arteta had been deploying in recent games would appear to go out of the window, in exchange for the more conservative 4-2-3-1 formation that Arsenal fans saw last campaign and the beginning of this