Arsenal's strong start to the Premier League season has been dealt a significant blow ahead of their crucial North London derby clash against Tottenham, with a mounting injury list threatening to derail their momentum. The Gunners, currently leading the league by three points over Chelsea, face their arch-rivals at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Mikel Arteta's side is grappling with several key absences, most notably in defense. Gabriel Magalhaes sustained a thigh injury while on international duty with Brazil and is expected to be sidelined for several weeks. Arteta confirmed the defender will be out for "weeks". Further compounding Arsenal's defensive woes, Riccardo Calafiori is also a doubt, having withdrawn from the Italy squad due to a hip issue.

Adding to Arteta's selection headaches, several other first-team players are racing against time to be fit for the derby. Concerns surround Viktor Gyokeres, who has been sidelined with a minor issue for three weeks. Kai Havertz is also a doubt after suffering a "small relapse" from a knee injury. Gabriel Jesus, recovering from an ACL injury sustained earlier in the year, has returned to full training.

However, there is some positive news for Arsenal fans. Captain Martin Odegaard is nearing a return from a knee injury that has kept him out of the last seven matches. Odegaard revealed he is "getting closer" to a return and has been working hard on his rehabilitation. He said, "This week I've been working really hard on my rehab – it's going very well. I can feel I'm getting closer every day and getting towards the final stages where it's a lot more exciting".

Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke, and Riccardo Calafiori were spotted with the squad before the match. Their availability would provide a significant boost to Mikel Arteta. Martinelli has been recovering from a muscular problem, while Madueke has been out with a knee injury since September.

Despite the injury concerns, Arsenal will be keen to extend their impressive recent record against Tottenham. They have won five of their last six Premier League games against Spurs, including the last three in a row.

Tottenham, meanwhile, have their own injury worries to contend with. James Maddison is expected to miss most of the season with an ACL injury. Other players sidelined for Tottenham include Yves Bissouma, Ben Davies and Dejan Kulusevski. However, they will be buoyed by the expected return of Mohammed Kudus, who missed two matches before the international break with a knock.