Mikel Arteta has hinted he is ready to make drastic changes in attack as Arsenal prepare to host Chelsea on Sunday afternoon.
A youthful Gunners frontline failed to make an impression during the 2-0 defeat at Brentford last Friday, leaving Arteta scratching his head in the absence of his senior forwards.
Striker Alexandre Lacazette is yet to return to training after testing positive for coronavirus, while captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a doubt as he only rejoined the group on Thursday.
Against the Bees, Arteta handed 20-year-old Folarin Balogun his first Premier League start while shifting Gabriel Martinelli, also 20, to the left wing.
But a video of a practice match released on Arsenal's YouTube channel suggests Arteta could switch things up for the encounter with the Blues.
Martinelli played up front at the training ground and this could pave the way for Bukayo Saka - who was benched against Brentford due to a lack of match fitness - to return to the line-up.
Arteta could deploy Saka on the left flank, with Emile Smith Rowe continuing as the No.10 and Nicolas Pepe on the other wing.
Arsenal completed the permanent signing of Martin Odegaard from Real Madrid on Friday morning but the Norway playmaker will not be available to face Chelsea as he awaits visa clearance.
With Lacazette out and Aubameyang a major doubt, the pressure may well be on Martinelli's young shoulders to produce against one of the Premier League's finest defences.
While the Brazilian has spent much of his Gunners career as a winger, Arteta was asked whether his long-term future could be as a centre-forward earlier this year.
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The Spaniard responded: "Time will tell. But I would like to develop him in both positions because I think he’s got the potential to do both."
Meanwhile, Arteta admitted Lacazette has struggled with his bout of coronavirus as he addressed reporters ahead of the clash with Chelsea.
"I don't know where it came from," he said. "We can only guess: the week before they had three or four negatives and then a positive.
"Most of them are double vaccinated, others have one, we are trying to encourage them to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their families."
Arteta added: "It's still very uncertain [if Aubameyang and Lacazette can face Chelsea]. I cannot give any answers today.
"I don't know if they can train in a few hours and if they are going to be able to compete at the weekend. I don't know."
