Arsenal has completed preparations for the Premier League match with Everton.
Following two round wins and three consecutive games in all competitions, it is safe to say that confidence in the Gunners’ team is starting to grow as they attempt to save a disappointing campaign.
Not all results in the top flight of English football this weekend have so far gone to North London.
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While Tottenham Hotspur and Sheffield United have both lost points, Burnley’s victory over Bournemouth means that Mikel Arteta’s team will kick off at Emirates Stadium in the lower half of the table.
Consequently, they have to beat the Toffe if they want to be able to finish in the top four or fifth position, which could mean qualifying for the Champions League if the Manchester City ban is not lifted.
That said, the Gunners’ team was put to the test in London Colney on Saturday afternoon before the Emirates kickoff.
Under 23 players such as Zak Swanson and Trae Coyle took part in the training together with the likes of Joe Willock, Reiss Nelson, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mesut Ozil and David Luiz.
But there was a surprise in the training session.
As seen in the image below, Daniel Ballard was seen trying to take the ball away from Eddie Nketiah.
(Image: Stuart MacFarlane / Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
The defender has now returned to training after seeing his loan spell in Swindon Town stopped in August because he needed knee surgery that has kept him on the sidelines for the past five months.
It would appear that Ballard is making great progress and may be online for some games for Steve Bould’s U23 team in the near future.
The teenager made his league debut when Swindon Town beat Scunthorpe United on the opening weekend of the new season, helping to keep a clean sheet away from home.
Three days later he was on the scoreboard in a loss of the EFL Trophy at the hands of Chelsea.
He returned to the starting XI when Town was beaten 3-0 by Colchester United in the Carabao Cup and is the last time Ballard has appeared for the League Two team.
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