The Englishman has been nursing an Achilles problem over the past few games, and it was recently claimed that he was doubtful for the Merseyside trip.

However, Arteta has dismissed the speculation in today's press conference by confirming that the club graduate is fine and has been working alongside the squad.

He said: "He’s fine. He trained normally today so nothing to report there. Every player has pains or issues. That’s normal in elite sports, but nothing to worry about."

The Gunners have had a positive start to the new Premier League season, and they have accumulated 10 points from a possible 12 at their disposal thus far.

They will be aiming to build a winning run in the coming weeks, but they first face a hurdle at Everton where they have been winless in the last five trips.

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