Mikel Arteta is welcoming an England international defender back from quarantine, while an all-action midfielder has shaken off an ankle injury

Arsenal have been boosted by the news that Ben White and Thomas Partey will come back into contention this weekend for a crunch clash with Norwich.

The Gunners, who remain without a point or a goal in the Premier League this season, are due to play host to the Canaries at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta desperately needs to find inspiration from somewhere, and two big-money signings are set to aid his cause by returning to the fold from enforced absences.

How could Arsenal line up against Norwich?

One man who will definitely will be in contention for a starting berth is £50 million ($69m) centre-half White, with the England international defender out of quarantine after testing positive for coronavirus.

Mohamed Elneny has been ruled out, though, after suffering a hamstring strain while away with Egypt, while Emile Smith Rowe sat out the latest fixture for England’s U21 side through illness – but he should be okay by the weekend.

Granit Xhaka, who is another to have tested positive for Covid-19, is suspended anyway so would not have been able to face Norwich, with the Swiss midfielder starting a three-match ban.

Partey could plug that gap in the engine room, with the Ghanaian making a timely return after missing the start of the season with an ankle injury.

Gabriel Magalhaes is also back in training, as is Eddie Nketiah. New signing Takehiro Tomiyasu, meanwhile, could also be available, with Arteta having confirmed that the Gunners are trying to arrange a work permit that should be done “in the next few hours”.

Any other fitness issues for Arsenal?

The only other slight concern for the Gunners could be the fitness of summer arrival Albert Sambi Lokonga.

The 21-year-old midfielder made his senior international debut for Belgium off the bench in a meeting with the Czech Republic, but was denied the opportunity to collect a second cap in a World Cup qualifying clash with Belarus on Wednesday.

Lokonga was unable to play any part in Belgium’s matchday squad, as he took up a seat in the stands, with Roberto Martinez revealing that a minor knock picked up in training had kept a hot prospect on the sidelines.

The Belgium boss has told Walfoot, with Arsenal assured that the issue was nothing serious: “Regarding Sambi, it is not a sporting choice. 

“There was a small warning, I would not speak of injury, but of discomfort, in training.

“So we decided not to take any risk given the complicated conditions. It was not a sporadic decision on my part.”