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Mikel Arteta says Declan Rice and Riccardo Califiori are available for Arsenal’s trip to Crystal Palace and is confident Oleksandr Zinchenko could join them.
Rice sat out Wednesday’s 3-1 win over Palace in the Carabao Cup with an unspecified problem and Califiori has not featured since the 5-2 win over West Ham last month.
“Both are available,” Arteta confirmed at Friday’s pre-match press conference.
And when asked about Zinchenko, who has not been seen since the 2-0 win over Manchester United, he added: “I think he could be available.”
Gabriel Jesus scored a hat-trick at the Emirates on Wednesday, the first time he has scored at home in over a year, while he is yet to open his Premier League account this season.
On the No.9, Arteta said: “He was really happy because he helped the team win and reach the semi-finals and that’s what we wanted.
“You can see his immediate reaction, the big smile on his face and that’s what we need from everyone to perform at the highest level and Gabi (Jesus) certainly had that.
“He’s looked really good since he came back from pre-season. After he had a setback, he started playing and had a few good games with no hits. What he did the other day is exactly what we need in our nines.”
Arteta celebrates five years as Arsenal boss this weekend, transforming the Gunners from a struggling team back into one of England’s top powers.
On how they have grown in five years, the Spaniard said: “Unity, connection and the fact that we are currently competing in big fronts. In the past years, we have not been able to do that, and that is a positive thing.
“I am here because I am very passionate about what I do and I love this football club. I try to be the best version of myself every day.
“Those things take time. There was a connection with the fans here because I was a player and a captain here, but after going through different situations together, it fostered a relationship.”
“I really enjoy working with the people I work with every day. We built something together and everyone contributed a lot to achieve it and the fact that everyone is hungry and ambitious now we have to go to another level. “
