The season is just two weeks old, and Arsenal already find themselves facing an injury crisis — but with the tools to plug the gaps.
On Wednesday, the Gunners announced that Kai Havertz will be sidelined for an unspecified duration due to a knee injury sustained in last weekend’s match against Manchester United.
The news had only just been properly digested ahead of the 5-0 thumping of Leeds United on Saturday, before two further seismic blows.
Meanwhile, Martin Odegaard suffered a shoulder injury after falling awkwardly and was substituted by Ethan Nwaneri at the 38-minute mark. Last season, the captain missed 12 games due to an ankle injury incurred in September.
It was the semantics Mikel Arteta used around Saka, saying his injury looks ‘significant’, which appeared the most concerning.
Bukayo Saka suffered an injury during Arsenal’s 5-0 victory over Leeds United on Saturday
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard also came off with an injury, seemingly in his right shoulder
The winger is an integral piece of Arteta’s jigsaw, with much of the Gunners’ play often coming down that right flank.
Yet their frontline, despite the injuries, can cope. There is enough artillery in reserve to navigate the next few weeks without diminishing returns.
Gabriel Martinelli was dropped for Noni Madueke, a move that had already seemed on the cards despite Arteta’s clear liking of the Brazilian.
He has continued to support him despite frequently struggling to make a significant impact in the attacking third. Of the 38 league games last season, Martinelli was benched only twice, highlighting his importance to the team.
Madueke’s performance could have been more effective on Saturday; however, his aggressive forward runs showed a clear directness, fearlessly challenging the opposition, which has often been lacking on that side with Martinelli.
He can play on both flanks, so is a viable option for either while Saka is side-lined.
If Madueke is shifted to the right, new signing Eberechi Eze would be the perfect choice to slot in on the left.
The newcomer, valued at £67.5 million, received a standing ovation upon his unveiling before kick-off. Debuting against Liverpool next Sunday would be a challenging initiation, yet his skills are suited to such high-profile matches.
Those two blows mean Mikel Arteta is facing another injury crisis – but this time he is prepared
Arsenal presented new signing Eberechi Eze ahead of kick-off at the Emirates on Saturday
Eze could also play as central attacking midfield in place of Odegaard.
Eze and Madueke are the primary candidates for these roles, even before considering Martinelli — who is eager to prove his worth — and Leandro Trossard.
Trossard, who this week agreed a new deal which still keeps him at the club until 2027 but on better terms, has often been the man to step up in previous seasons when given a chance.
After featuring on the bench against Leeds, he could fill in on the left to facilitate those moves for the other two.
If Arteta chooses to play Eze on the left and Madueke on the right, Ethan Nwaneri would be eyeing up Odegaard’s spot.
Dowman danced around the Leeds players at will, before winning a penalty in the dying minutes which Viktor Gyokeres converted. It left Arteta purring afterwards.
‘Well, this is what we say every single day in training,’ he said.
‘Credit to all the coaches involved in that journey. Because there is a kid here that has zero hesitation. He’s so convinced that he can go at 15 and deliver that, which I’ve never witnessed in my life. And for us, it brings joy, it brings emotion and something else that makes our jobs so great.’
Fellow new signing Viktor Gyokeres scored his first two Premier League goals against Leeds
He is a special, special talent who has some career ahead of him.
Overall, the options at Arteta’s disposal make the injuries to Saka and Odegaard navigable.
Spending £250m does that — and it reflects a huge difference to last season already, by which those two players hitting the sidelines all badly affected their title fortunes.
This time around, that should not be the case.
