Mikel Arteta sat in front of the cameras at the Sobha Realty Training Centre on Friday and delivered the kind of update that should make every Arsenal fan breathe a little easier. No fresh injuries from the 4-1 win at Tottenham. Two players potentially returning for Sunday's London derby against Chelsea. For a team five points clear at the top and fighting on four fronts, that is more than good.

Kai Havertz has had a season that tests your patience if you are paying attention. He has barely strung three games together. His thigh has betrayed him at the worst possible moments. He was on the verge of making the squad for the North London derby last weekend and just missed the cut.

Arteta confirmed on Friday that Havertz will train on Saturday, and then we will see. That is about as close to "he is playing" as Arteta ever gets before a game. If Havertz is fit, he comes back against his former club.

The story that deserves more attention than it is getting is Max Dowman. He is 16 years old. He picked up an ankle injury playing for the under-21s in early December and has spent weeks recovering while being kept close to the first team environment.

On Friday night, he played some minutes for the under-21s. That is the first competitive action he has seen since sustaining the injury. Arteta has said Dowman is one of the most talented academy players he has ever worked with. The club were careful enough to include him in the Champions League squad before the injury. His return, even in under-21 minutes, matters.

There is still no clean answer on Ben White. He picked up a knock in the days before Spurs and missed the North London derby. Cristhian Mosquera played right back in a game that ended 4-1, which says more about the squad's depth than it does about White's absence. But White's recurring fitness issues this season are building into something worth monitoring closely.

Arteta spoke on Friday about waiting for Saturday's final training session to understand whether one or two players from last week would be available. White is almost certainly one of those he has in mind.

Mikel Merino had foot surgery in early February. He will not be available for Chelsea. He will not be available for weeks. The club have not confirmed a return date, but Arteta indicated at the time that we were talking about a spell measured in months. Merino is hoping to be back before the World Cup in June.That is the one genuine wound in this squad right now. Everything else is manageable.

Arteta was asked about Viktor Gyokeres, who missed a significant spell in November and December before returning to score eight goals in his last twelve games, including two at Spurs. The response was precise: "When you score the first one, the performance is good, you have more time with your teammates, you understand the games, the opponents, the league, everything helps. We know his qualities, he's undoubtedly an incredible striker."
Eight goals in twelve games. Two in the North London derby. The injury gave him time to understand what Arteta needs from him. The trajectory, as the manager said, is right.
Going into Sunday's game against Chelsea, we are as close to full strength as we have been for weeks. Merino aside, Arteta has the tools he needs.