Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen is in line for a comeback appearance in the Carling Cup tonight.

Vermaelen could make his comeback from a two-month Achilles injury layoff in the Carling Cup fourth-round tie against Bolton Wanderers at the Emirates Stadium.

With one eye on Saturday's derby at Chelsea, manager Arsene Wenger is likely to rest the likes of Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker and Robin van Persie, and give starts to the fringe players like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Francis Coquelin, Park Chu-Young and Emmanuel Frimpong.