Arsenal have fresh injury woes over captain Martin Odegaard after he was forced off with another shoulder injury in their 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.
Odegaard had to be taken off after 18 minutes, having landed awkwardly following a tackle by team-mate Jurrien Timber.
Mikel Arteta said he does not expect Odegaard to need surgery on his right shoulder, which he initially injured against Leeds last month.
But the midfielder did not train with the Arsenal squad on Monday and has since been ruled out ahead of a big week for the Gunners, who face Athletic Club in the Champions League on Tuesday and then Manchester City in a Premier League showdown at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Here, Standard Sport looks at three ways Arsenal could line up in Odegaard’s absence.
Ethan Nwaneri comes in
Arteta placed his faith in Ethan Nwaneri when he brought him on for Odegaard against Forest.
But despite a dominant Arsenal performance, Nwaneri was unable to influence the game as he would have liked and it was Noni Madueke leading the attack from the right wing.
The 18-year-old had the second most touches of any Arsenal attacker during his 73 minutes on the pitch.
But, aside from a couple of half-chances, he was unable to open up a Forest defence that looked helpless to stop relentless waves of Arsenal pressure.
Odegaard’s injury provided Nwaneri with an opportunity in his favoured position but it was a frustrating afternoon.
Nwaneri retains the full trust of Arteta but, with added competition this season, minutes are by no means guaranteed.
Possible Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Nwaneri, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Eze
Eberechi Eze deployed centrally
Eberechi Eze shone from the left wing on his first Arsenal start against Forest, setting up Viktor Gyokeres for the second goal.
It is from the left where Arteta sees Eze predominantly playing, but the 27-year-old’s versatility and instinct to come centrally in search of the ball make him a viable replacement for Odegaard.
Eze’s ability to anticipate space and carve out shooting opportunities draw striking similarities to Odegaard, and some of his best moments against Forest came in the pocket of space behind Gyokeres.
A deft dummy inside five minutes set the tempo for a confident display, and you sense Eze will only grow as his understanding with his team-mates deepens.
He has already struck up a relationship with Gyokeres and that partnership could prove a productive route to goal for a new-look Arsenal attack still finding its feet.
Arsenal’s new-found depth means Eze can move centrally without too much disruption to how the Gunners want to play.
Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard are pushing for more minutes, while Noni Madueke is viewed as an option off both flanks, despite impressing from the right against Forest.
Eze’s versatility was a huge part of why Arteta was so keen to bring him to the Emirates.
So, with Odegaard out of the side, he could be utilised as the fulcrum of Arsenal’s midfield.
Possible Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Eze, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Madueke
Opt for physicality over creativity
Arteta, as he did against Liverpool, also has the option to sacrifice Odgeaard’s creativity for a more physically robust midfield unit.
The Arsenal boss was criticised by some for what was perceived as a negative approach at Anfield, but ultimately his side came within a Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick of stifling the champions.
Declan Rice and Mikel Merino, while revered for their ability in the breakdown, also possess an excellent knack for attacking the box at the right times, with Martin Zubimendi chipping in with his first two goals for the club against Forest.
This is certainly the most reserved set-up Arteta could opt for in Odegaard’s absence, but that does not necessarily mean it lacks attacking flair.
One of Arsenal’s great strengths is their ability to overwhelm opponents, and with Merino and Rice’s intensity in the middle of the park, they can run over teams before shuffling the ball quickly through the lines and into Arsenal’s frontline.
With Manchester City and Newcastle to come in the Premier League, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Arteta call upon a more functional midfield, even if Odegaard is fit enough to play.
Possible Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Merino, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Eze
