Arsenal injury, suspension list and return dates for Aston Villa clash: Jurrien Timber , Ricardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz latest

With the dual aim of revenge and creating clearer daylight at the top of the Premier League summit, leaders Arsenal welcome third-placed Aston Villa for matchday 19’s high-profile clash at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.

The Gunners face the same opposition that handed them their most recent defeat, with the Villans snatching a 2–1 victory with the final kick of the game in the reverse fixture in Birmingham.

Since that setback, Arsenal have gone five games unbeaten across all competitions, including victories in all three league matches during that run, most recently grinding out a 2–1 success over Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.

That win allowed Arsenal to return to the summit after Manchester City’s short-lived move to the top earlier in the matchday, and another success on Tuesday would stretch their lead over Villa to six points, while potentially opening a five-point gap ahead of City.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up Arsenal’s latest injury and suspension news ahead of their meeting with Villa, who secured a comeback 2–1 win away at Chelsea over the weekend.

Jurrien Timber

Status: Doubtful

Type of injury: Knock

Possible return date: December 30 (vs. Aston Villa)

Jurrien Timber is another recent concern, having landed awkwardly during Arsenal’s EFL Cup penalty shootout victory earlier in the week.

Although he was involved at the weekend, the defender will still need to be assessed ahead of kickoff to confirm whether he is fit to feature.

Ben White

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: January 17 (vs. Nottingham Forest)

Ben White picked up a hamstring issue during Arsenal’s win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in mid-December and is expected to remain sidelined until around the middle of January.

Max Dowman

Status: Out

Type of injury: Ankle

Possible return date: Unknown

Teenage prospect Max Dowman suffered ankle ligament damage during an Under-21s friendly earlier this month, with the 15-year-old facing several weeks on the sidelines as he works towards full fitness.

Cristhian Mosquera

Status: Out

Type of injury: Ankle

Possible return date: January 17 (vs. Nottingham Forest)

Cristhian Mosquera was forced off during Arsenal’s clash with Brentford on December 3 after sustaining an ankle injury and is not expected to return until mid-January.

Ricardo Calafiori

Status: Doubtful

Type of injury: Muscle

Possible return date: December 30 (vs. Aston Villa)

Ricardo Calafiori was withdrawn during the warm-up ahead of the Brighton match after feeling discomfort following a training session the previous day.

The Italian defender will need to pass a late fitness test to determine his availability, leaving him a major doubt for Tuesday.

Kai Havertz

Status: Out

Type of injury: Knee

Possible return date: December 30 (vs. Aston Villa)

After spending close to four months recovering from a knee injury, Kai Havertz has returned to full training and narrowly missed out on the matchday squad last weekend.

Arteta has suggested that his comeback is a ‘’matter of days’’, meaning a return on Tuesday is possible, although his involvement is yet to be confirmed.