Arsenal injury news: Latest on six stars as Mikel Arteta 'hoping' for two Tottenham returns

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is reportedly hoping to have two of his stricken stars back in action for the North London derby with Tottenham Hotspur on November 23.

The Gunners are expected to receive a plethora of injury boosts over the international break and have already welcomed the news that Gabriel Jesus has returned to team training after an ACL tear.

The Brazil international has been sidelined for 10 months after rupturing his cruciate ligament in January's FA Cup loss to Manchester United, but he is now on course to return before the end of the calendar year.

However, Jesus is still expected to be the last cab off the rank in terms of Arsenal's injured stars, a list that also includes Martin Odegaard, Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli.

None of the quintet is expected to be sidelined for much longer after the international window, though, and according to The Mirror, two are bidding to return in time for Tottenham straight after the hiatus.

Arsenal to welcome two injured stars back for Tottenham clash?

The report states that attacking duo Gyokeres and Madueke are both pushing to return for the North London derby as they step up their recoveries from respective hamstring and knee complaints.

Gyokeres suffered a muscular blow during Arsenal's 2-0 win over Burnley two Saturdays ago, although reports at the time stated that the Sweden international had avoided a serious issue, and he is expected to be back in full training imminently.

Meanwhile, Madueke has been missing since hurting his knee in September's 1-1 draw with Manchester City - the winger was originally said to have faced up to eight weeks in the treatment room.

Without Gyokeres, Havertz or Jesus up front, Arteta was forced to shoe-horn Mikel Merino into a central striking role once again in games against Slavia Prague and Sunderland, but the Spaniard endured mixed fortunes over those two games.

Meanwhile, Madueke's absence has not been so damaging to Arsenal thanks to Bukayo Saka's presence, although the ex-Chelsea winger made an effervescent start to his Gunners career before entering the infirmary.

When could Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz return?

Martinelli, Odegaard and Havertz do not appear to be so close to comebacks, but the report adds that Arteta is still banking on the trio returning for the unrelenting festive fixture schedule.

The Gunners' North London derby precedes a daunting Champions League barttle with Bayern Munich on November 26, as well other all-capital clashes with Chelsea on November 30 and Brentford on December 3.

Odegaard and Havertz (both knee) may still make their returns before the end of the month, while Martinelli's recent muscular problem should not take too much longer to heal either.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are supposedly hoping to schedule a behind-closed-doors friendly game for Jesus during the international break, as the striker builds up towards a competitive return in either late December or early January.