Arsenal stars pictured training in isolation as they come back from coronavirus lockdown

Remarkable aerial images have been taken showing Arsenal’s players training on one pitch each at the club’s Colney base in their first session back after coronavirus lockdown.  

After 47 days away from their HQ due to coronavirus restrictions, the Gunners players were permitted to train separately and pictures taken from a helicopter show the measures taken to enforce social distancing. 

Five players at a time were allowed to train on the ten-pitch complex, meaning each man had plenty of space.  

Balls, cones and training gear were seen scattered on the pristine turf while one player set about performing running drills.  

Each member of the senior squad had to travel alone and Emilio Martinez pulled up in his convertible red Corvette while David Luiz was pictured rolling up to the facility near St Albans shortly afterwards. 

Alexandre Lacazette was among the first group with the French striker driving into work in his Mercedes.

And Hector Bellerin was also among the stars snapped behind the wheel as he wore earphones while entering Colney while Pablo Mari was kitted out in a patterned jumper.

The government has urged the Premier League to try to get games back on by June to lift the mood of the country and Arsenal’s return to action, albeit in isolation, is an encouraging step.

West Ham revealed on Monday that they will allow their players to train at their training ground in a similar setup to Arsenal’s and Brighton are going to open up their facility too. 

The Premier League has been suspended since March 13, but there are plans to continue matches behind closed doors in an attempt to finish the current season. 

Organisers have drawn up a plan called ‘Project Restart’ which could see matches played again as soon as June 8 at ‘approved neutral venues.’ 

It has been seven weeks since the Arsenal players were last able to train in the familiar surroundings but strict coronavirus guidelines are still in place. 

A number of the team have experienced issues trying to go out for runs at home as fans are desperate to interact with them, get an autograph or a selfie, flouting the social distancing restrictions. 

In fact, only last week Nicholas Pepe, Luiz and Xhaka were reminded of their responsibilities after they were pictured in public appearing to break social distancing rules. 

The Gunners have been able to use fixed gym machines but struggled when it comes to working out in the open air with dynamic movement as public parks are more risky environments.  

Arsenal believe the plans they have put in place now will allow players the ability and freedom to safely gain their fitness back and they are continuing with their individual programmes. 

Neither Mikel Arteta, who was the first big name in English football to contract coronavirus, or his senior coaching staff were in attendance on Monday and the staff on site were a mixture of medical and fitness employees.

On Saturday a club statement explained: ‘Access will be limited, carefully managed and social distancing will be maintained at all times.’ 

Arteta’s men have an entire pitch each to themselves at the 10-pitch Hertfordshire complex, with five spare. 

The return to work is voluntary and players had to travel alone, with only five allowed to train at one time.  

A staggered series of one-hour sessions is spread throughout the day with medical and fitness staff overseeing each one from afar and the players banned from socialising with each other. 

They even had their own specifically assigned football to avoid cross-contamination.  

All the buildings will remain locked so each player had to arrive in their kit and shower and change at home and they have been instructed to return directly to their cars at the conclusion of the workout. 

There has been a thorough deep clean of the £10million training base and this is the first time it has opened since boss Arteta tested positive for coronavirus on March 12. 

The positive test triggered 100 members of staff going into isolation, prompting a suspension of the Premier League. 

Arteta’s positive test came after it emerged that Olympiacos owner Evangelos Marinakis had also contracted the virus and had been in contact with Arteta and others during his side’s Europa League clash in London. 

The Spaniard later opened up on his experience with Covid-19. He said: ‘I’m very well now, I feel that I have recovered. It took me three or four days to start feeling much better and with more energy, to leave the symptoms behind, and now the truth is that I feel well.’