Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard will play no part in the north London derby, after injuring his ankle while on international duty. Jorginho captains Arsenal at Tottenham today in the absence of Odegaard, who did not travel to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Odegaard sustained the injury during Norway’s 2-1 win over Austria on Monday evening. The 25-year-old’s absence is a significant blow for Arteta, who begins a challenging run of fixtures with a depleted midfield.
Arsenal face Spurs before beginning their Champions League campaign against Atalanta on Thursday. They then return to Premier League action against Manchester City at the Etihad on Sunday 22.
Declan Rice is serving a one-game suspension after being sent off in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion before the international break.
New signing Mikel Merino, who joined from Real Sociedad in a €32.5million (£27.4m) move in the summer, is out for up to a month after sustaining a shoulder injury in an innocuous coming-together in his first training session with the squad.