Arsenal receive a major boost with the return of two key players ahead of their match against Chelsea.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was able to field a fully-fit team for Saturday’s trip to Chelsea, with Martin Ødegaard making his long-awaited return to the starting lineup. The Norwegian midfielder had been out since September due to an injury sustained during international duty, and Arsenal’s form had dipped in his absence. Ødegaard came on as a substitute during the 1-0 loss to Inter Milan earlier in the week, but this will be his first start since late August.

Ødegaard isn’t the only returnee, as Declan Rice also features in the lineup after missing the midweek Champions League clash. The England international was left out of the squad and didn’t travel to Italy as a precaution ahead of the Chelsea match. Reports suggested Rice might have suffered a broken toe, though Arteta was cautious about revealing specifics during his pre-match press conference. “Whether he has a broken toe is for the doctor, what I can say is that he hasn’t trained yet and it is not clear whether he’s going to be available or not,” Arteta stated.

Kai Havertz and Mikel Merino were both doubts for the Chelsea game, but Havertz starts, while Merino is named on the bench.