Gabriel Jesus’ return is imminent and for Arsenal it can’t come soon enough.
Mikel Arteta is down to the bare bones up front, with Eddie Nketiah sidelined with an ankle problem and Leandro Trossard struggling with a groin issue.
Nketiah could be out until after the international break and while Trossard could play some part at Fulham on Sunday, Arteta's options are far from plentiful.
Arteta was forced to play Gabriel Martinelli as his central striker against Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League on Thursday night, moving him away from the left wing position where he has excelled so far this season.
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Martinelli does have the ability to thrive in the centre, but it’s clear that he is better suited to playing out wide and his deployment through the middle does limit Arsenal’s attacking threat from the flanks.
“We lost a little bit of threat with the front players that we are missing in our frontline,” Arteta admitted after the draw in Portugal.