Mikel Arteta already has quite the injury list to contend with at Arsenal.
The Gunners have been particularly hit in the backline already this season.
And with games coming thick and fast in this most disrupted of campaigns, the manager could do with his defenders returning to action sooner rather than later.
Arsenal open their Europa League account on Thursday with a trip to Austria to face Rapid Wien, with games against Leicester City, Dundalk, Manchester United, Molde and Aston Villa to follow in the proceeding 16 days.
It is a hectic schedule and will require all hands on deck, with Arteta likely to rotate his squad for matches so as not to burn the players out this early in the campaign.
Rob Holding was added to the treatment table on Saturday, with Davbid Luiz replacing him in the starting lineup. Shkodran Mustafi, Calum Chambers and Pablo Mari are all also out of action, but Arteta will be boosted by the news that one of them is due to return to full training this week.
Pablo Mari has not played since the defeat to Manchester City on June 17, having sprained his ankle ligaments, but should be back in training ahead of a busy run of fixtures.
The Brazilian centre-back has not been spotted in full training photos yet, but an update from Arsenal on October 5 read: "Continuing outside running and strengthening programme, together with light ball work. Aiming to return to full training within the next two weeks."
Two weeks from October 5 was yesterday, so Arteta should be able to call upon the Brazilian in the busy run of games coming up.
