Granit Xhaka and Lucas Torreira Available for Arsenal's Premier League Match Against Crystal Palace
Arsenal manager Unai Emery could select midfield duo Granit Xhaka and Lucas Torreira for the Premier League clash with Crystal Palace after the pair took part in training on Saturday.
The latter was substituted at half-time during the Gunners' 1-0 victory at Watford after picking up a slight knock, whilst a hip problem saw his Swiss counterpart hobble off an hour into the second leg of their Europa League tie away to Napoli on Thursday. Torreira played the entire match at the Stadio San Paolo, a game in which fellow midfielder Aaron Ramsey strained a hamstring, potentially ending his season.
GLYN KIRK/GettyImages
Despite starting and finishing the 1-0 win against the Serie A club, Torreira was a slight doubt for the encounter with Palace on Sunday. There was further concern for Xhaka given the quick turnaround, but it appears both men will be available for Emery, according to a report from Football.London.
In the event that they are rested for the Premier League meeting with the Eagles, youngster Matteo Guendouzi and Egyptian Mohamed Elneny are on standby to fill the gap left in the middle of the park.
After his impressive showings for Borussia Mönchengladbach, Xhaka was snapped up by Arsenal for a hefty £35m sum in 2016. He initially struggled with the switch, receiving considerable criticism from supporters at the Emirates Stadium.
However, he has flourished this campaign alongside the tenacious Torreira, the Uruguayan's qualities perfectly complementing those of Xhaka. Such has been the 26-year-old's level of performance that he is being touted as the club's player of the season by some.
Stuart Franklin/GettyImages
In the absence of star man Ramsey, the pair will be vital for Emery as he looks to seal Champions League qualification for next season, with two possible avenues remaining for the former Sevilla coach to achieve that.
A top four league finish will do the job, with Arsenal currently occupying fourth position in the table. Alternatively, winning the Europa League will guarantee a place in the group stages of Europe's elite competition, with the Gunners set to battle Valencia in the semi-finals later this month.
