Arsenal have returned from their warm weather training camp in Dubai, and continue their quest for Champions League qualification this weekend.
The Gunners are unbeaten under Mikel Arteta this calendar year and aim to keep that run going when they welcome Newcastle United to the Emirates.
New signing Pablo Mari could make his debut, while there will be others in the squad who will be aiming to regain their place after limited playing time in recent months.
Here we take a look at the five players that have a point to prove to Arteta as the Gunners return to action on Sunday.
James Benge - Senior Club Writer
Pablo Mari
The new Arsenal signing arrives with plenty of background murmuring about what it was that took a 26-year-old Spaniard to Brazil in what ought to have been the prime years of his career.
Those who saw him at Flamengo, including David Luiz, are convinced it will have been the making of him and Mari will need to vindicate them swiftly as Arteta looks for consistency, aerial strength and an eye for a pass from his centre-backs.
Sead Kolasinac
If Arsenal's January interest in Layvin Kurzawa proved anything it is that Kolasinac is playing for his future. That has been the case before - early last season the club were minded to sell him before he proved his doubters wrong.
Now with Bukayo Saka excelling and Kieran Tierney's return fast approaching Kolasinac has to prove that he can be as solid defensively as he is dangerous in attack.
Alexandre Lacazette
Just score Alex. There has been much to admire about the diligence with which Lacazette has gone about his other duties under Arteta but until he puts one in the net there will always be murmurs about whether Arsenal would be better off with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leading the line.
Nicolas Pepe
It has been a stop-start season for Pepe, one riven with flashes of real quality but overall rather more frustrating than might have been expected of a £72million player.
Gabriel Martinelli's emergence has not helped but it also ought to spur the Ivorian into action. Pepe has proven he is an able dribbler, fearsome with a dead ball and explosive in broken play but as yet he is struggling to show what he can do against a set defence. That must be his next step.
Mesut Ozil
He is taking steps in the right direction under Arteta even if rather too many of his passes are not - his pass map in recent weeks shows a remarkable willingness to move the ball backwards.
Ozil might be improving but he is not impacting winning with a tally of zero goals and one assist this season. That must increase swiftly.
Art de Roche - Arsenal Club Writer
Alexandre Lacazette
The Frenchman's overall contributions are important but he must step up in front of goal. He has been favoured by Mikel Arteta but unable to as effective in the final third as he was last season it wouldn't be a surprise if he is dropped from the main starting XIs soon.
Nicolas Pepe
Under his third Arsenal head coach already, this season hasn't been easy for Nicolas Pepe. Despite this, he has given all three reasons to bench him. Now that the issues at right-back seem to be clearing up, however, he may get a better platform to show just why the Gunners signed him in the summer.
Mesut Ozil
The German hasn't been terrible under Arteta but his production (or lack of) has drawn attention to his place in the side. Although he has done well operating in the spaces in between the lines and moving the ball out to Arsenal's more dangerous players, he will need to play direct roles in goals to prove he is the man to be Arteta's starting No.10.
Dani Ceballos
Insisting that he will "be important" after the break, Dani Ceballos must live up to these words. With Granit Xhaka and Lucas Torreira sat as a steady first choice double-pivot his opportunities may be limited to the cup competitions, however.
Nevertheless, he has to show in each appearance that he can impact games as not only is his place in the Arsenal side up for grabs, but his place in Spain's Euro 2020 squad won't be guaranteed either.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles
With Cedric Soares coming in at right-back, Ainsley Maitland-Niles path could soon become clear.
Having excelled as an inverted full-back under Arteta already, he's proven he can do that job well.
If the Spaniard chooses to use him in midfield in the coming months, however, he will have to prove himself worthy of being given the chance there.
