Arsenal expects several injured players to return before Wednesday’s opening leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 match against FC Porto. The Gunners have regained momentum, scoring 21 goals and winning five straight games, and they are hopeful that the return of key players will improve their on-field performance even more.

Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, both nearing fitness and expected to return to competition, are among the absentees. Furthermore, a light of hope for the squad is the gradual development in the recovery procedures of Fabio Vieira and Thomas Partey, both of whom have long-term ailments.Furthermore, Takehiro Tomiyasu, whose versatility could be crucial for Arsenal’s upcoming Champions League encounter against Porto, is expected to return soon. Nonetheless, Jurrien Timber will remain sidelined for the club owing to an anterior cruciate ligament injury; his expected return date is still many weeks away.

Tomiyasu, who has been sidelined by a slight injury since returning from the Asian Cup, is expected to be included in the team for the Porto match. Gabriel Jesus, who has been out with a knee injury, is expected to return to action against Porto on Wednesday. In a similar vein, Oleksandr Zinchenko, who has been out with a calf injury, intends to return on the same day.

In the meantime, Fabio Vieira, who had groin surgery in November but has already returned against Porto, has shown promising signs of recuperation. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes that Thomas Partey, who has been sidelined for four months due to a thigh injury, is making good progress and could return to the pitch in March. Although the addition of these key players will undoubtedly strengthen Arsenal’s team and improve their chances of success in domestic and European competitions, the exact schedule for Jurrien Timber’s return is still uncertain.