Three ways Arsenal could line-up without Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli

Arsenal’s attacking injury crisis has worsened after Kai Havertz sustained a serious hamstring injury during their Dubai warm-weather training camp. With a free weekend, the Gunners headed to the Middle East for a mid-season reset, but an injury picked up in training by Havertz has now left Mikel Arteta with yet another selection headache. Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus remain sidelined with their respective long-term injuries, while Gabriel Martinelli is also set for a spell on the treatment table having picked up a knock against Newcastle.

While the severity of Havertz’s injury has not been confirmed by the club, reports suggest that the 25-year-old could miss the rest of the season in what would be a hammer blow to Arsena’s Premier League title hopes. His absence leaves Arsenal currently without a recognised striker and with just three fit forwards in Ethan Nwaneri, Leandro Trossard and Raheem Sterling. As Arteta looks for a solution before Saturday’s clash with Leicester City, here are three ways he could replace Arsenal’s latest injured duo.

Passing the baton to Leandro Trossard feels the most likely option for Arteta at this present moment. The Belgian international, after all, has played in a central role on numerous occasions for Arsenal, most recently in their 2-1 win over Girona in the club’s final Champions League league phase match. While Trossard does not offer the height of Haverz, nor the quick feet of Jesus, his intelligence and modicum of experience in the role might present Arteta with his only reliable and somewhat risk-free option.

Nwaneri and Sterling could then be expected to flank the 30-year-old. Having been slowly introduced into the first team, Nwaneri is now flourishing as a vital part of Arteta’s matchday squad. The teenager already has seven goals in all competitions this season, with his most recent a superb long-range effort for Arsenal’s fifth against Manchester City. Nominally an attacking midfielder, the Nwaneri has also played as a right winger for Arsenal in Saka’s absence and could now be a bold option to play down the middle.

The 17-year-old has fulfilled the role when playing in Arsenal’s youth teams and Arteta has previously spoken about Nwaneri’s suitability to lead the line. ‘Ethan can play as a right attacking midfielder, a left attacking midfielder,’ Arteta said in mid-December. ‘He can play as a right winger and there is another position I think he can develop into – No.9. ‘He has got the goal in front of him and he looks at the goal and he has a tremendous ability to put the ball in the back of the net.’.

Arteta may not have envisaged putting that plan into action for some months – perhaps even years – but the Spaniard has few other options and may well roll the dice given the 17-year-old’s superb development to this point. While the challenge of Leicester on the weekend may not prove the sternest, upcoming games against West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Chelsea will prove more difficult. And while Havertz has not always provided a reliable source of goals, the German’s physicality and pressing intensity have proved invaluable in how the Gunners play.

In that sense, perhaps Mikel Merino represents the most like-for-like replacement at the top of the pitch if Arteta wants to keep his style largely unchanged. The Spaniard has been in and out of the starting XI since joining from Real Sociedad in the summer, but is physical, good in the air and has an eye for a goal having scored eight in all competitions last season in La Liga. Arteta played in midfield at Everton when David Moyes deployed Marouane Fellaini further forward as an auxiliary striker. Perhaps now, the Spaniard will take a leaf out of his former boss’ book.

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