Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Inter Milan v Arsenal - San Siro, Milan, Italy - January 20, 2026 Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta applauds fans after the match REUTERS/Matteo Ciambelli
LONDON, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Arsenal welcomed the return of Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie to training ahead of Sunday's match against Manchester United but manager Mikel Arteta flagged concerns over their opponents' renewed intensity under Michael Carrick.
United beat second-placed Manchester City 2-0 last weekend under the guidance of interim manager Carrick, extending Arsenal's lead at the top of the table to seven points.
Arteta acknowledged the challenge posed by United compared to Arsenal's 1-0 victory in their August meeting.
"Yes, with Michael coming in it's going to bring new ideas, the intensity rises up, you could see in the Manchester derby with their behaviour and the game that they played," Arteta told reporters on Friday.
"We expect a tough match but we will adapt to that for sure, we are at home, and we know how important that is going to be for us."
Arteta was unsure whether Calafiori, out since last month with a muscle injury, and Hincapie, who suffered a groin injury earlier this month, will be ready to join Arsenal's defence this weekend after returning to training on Friday.
"We still have another training session, so we'll see tomorrow after that," he said.
Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres are competing for a place in the starting lineup after both forwards impressed in Tuesday's 3-1 Champions League win against Inter Milan. Jesus scored twice, while substitute Gyokeres also found the net.
"We were waiting for that with the amount of games that are coming up, and they are all going to have opportunities and minutes, so great to have them back and especially to have them in good form," he said.
The manager added that forward Kai Havertz is nearing full recovery, leaving winger Max Dowman as the sole player sidelined by injury.
Arteta also addressed Arsenal's decision to send teenage midfielder Ethan Nwaneri on loan to Olympique de Marseille.
"At the end you have to be thrown to the sharks in an incredible atmosphere and club. It's going to make so much good," Arteta said of the move.
ARSENAL 'FAR FROM PERFECT'
Arteta said his side had room for improvement despite being unbeaten in their last 12 matches and winning all seven of their Champions League games this season, while Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola called Arsenal the best team in the world.
"I think we're the team that wants to be constantly better, we are doing a lot of things right, but we are far from perfect, and our only aim is to sustain the level we are doing and try to improve again," Arteta said.
"You need to dominate all the phases in the game if we want to have the chance to win major trophies."
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in BengaluruEditing by Toby Davis)
