Arsenal were set to return to group training on Wednesday for the first time in over two months with sessions of five or fewer participants due to take place under Mikel Arteta's supervision.
The Arsenal squad have had voluntary access to the training ground since April 27 to conduct solo training sessions but have not had sessions together since March 11, the day before Arteta's coronavirus diagnosis was made public.
Today's exercises will certainly not be training as they know it - players will work out in groups of a maximum of five and access to the indoor facilities at London Colney will be minimal - but it represents a significant step in the Premier League's planned return.
The Gunners' return comes hours after it was announced that Watford had been the worst affected of the 19 Premier League clubs who conducted coronavirus tests earlier this week. Three people at the Hornets, one player and two members of staff, tested positive for coronavirus and will self-isolate for seven days.
Across the league six of the 748 tests conducted were positive.
Sessions will continue at Watford's training base and Arsenal's London Colney complex next door. football.london has been told that the Gunners are sticking to their original plans following the diagnoses at their neighbours.
Though the clubs share neighbouring training grounds in Hertfordshire there is plenty of space between the two and Watford confirmed last night: "Strict adherence to the Premier League guidelines has ensured the training ground remains virus-free and a safe environment for the players to continue to work."
Arteta has been working on those plans to maximise the efficacy of small-sided training for some time and held talks with Los Angeles Rams counterpart Sean McVay to discover how the NFL makes a success of sessions that do not contain the whole team.
Players will arrive at Colney throughout the day to take part in sessions that are staggered to minimise contact across the squad with 75 minute sessions overseen by Arteta and his coaching staff. As much as possible players will be encouraged to stay apart; full contact drills are not part of phase one of the training plan agreed by Premier League clubs this week.
Social distancing measures will also be taken across London Colney and players will only be able to access relatively limited parts of the club's indoor facilities. They will arrive and depart in their training kit and shower at home.
Returning to training has proven to be a contentious matter across the Premier League with Watford captain Troy Deeney announcing prior to yesterday's results that he would not be joining up with Nigel Pearson's squad.
Some, however, have welcomed the opportunity to be reunited with some of their team-mates. Arsenal's Granit Xhaka wrote on Instagram last weekend: "We are back at practice, but first in small groups.
"I can't tell you how happy I am to kick with my colleagues again.
"Even though we are still far away from our regular work! I wish you a good weekend and stay healthy!"
