The €20 million signing could be handed a place in attack, while Aaron Ramsey is a doubt after picking up an ankle injury during the international break
Danny Welbeck is set to make his Arsenal debut as Arsene Wenger’s side host Manchester City on Saturday.
The 23-year-old joined from Manchester United in a €20 million deal on deadline day and could be handed an immediate start in attack as Olivier Giroud continues to recover from surgery on a fractured tibia.
Meanwhile, Aaron Ramsey is a doubt for the match against the Premier League champions after rolling his ankle during the late stages of Wales’ 2-1 win over Andorra on Tuesday.
Wenger confirmed on Thursday that the midfielder has undergone tests but remains in with a chance of featuring.
Kieran Gibbs (hamstring), Mikel Arteta (ankle) and Mesut Ozil (knock) have all been passed fit, while Abou Diaby completed 90 minutes for Arsenal’s Under-21s on Thursday evening and could make the matchday squad.
For City, Stevan Jovetic suffered a hamstring injury during training for Montenegro on Monday, though the extent of the problem has not been revealed.
Jovetic has started all three of City’s Premier League games this season and scored twice in the 3-1 win over Liverpool on August 25.
Fernando suffered a groin injury during City’s 1-0 defeat to Stoke before the international break and the midfielder has not yet been passed as match-fit by Manuel Pellegrini.
City faced Arsenal in the Community Shield before the start of the season but were defeated 3-0 following goals from Santi Cazorla, Ramsey and Giroud.
Pablo Zabaleta, who is expected to recover from a knock sustained in Argentina’s friendly victory over Germany, expects Pellegrini’s men to give a better account of themselves at the Emirates Stadium.
“It [the Community Shield defeat] was the first game of the campaign and the squad were not all back from the summer or 100 per cent fit,” the right-back told City’s official website.
“We are much stronger than we were a month ago and we will continue to improve and get back into our stride as each game goes by.
“That said, Arsenal are a very good team and it is always a hard game at the Emirates.
“They have improved their squad and brought in some great players to strengthen their title bid but we are looking to bounce back after the Stoke defeat and we will go there to win three points.”
