Arsenal head to Leicester with Mikel Arteta facing his biggest selection headache of the season. Kai Havertz has been ruled out for the remainder of the Premier League campaign, leaving the Gunners without a recognised centre-forward for the next three months.
Gabriel Jesus had already been ruled out until next season with a serious knee injury. Havertz has a hamstring problem which will keep him sidelined until the summer.
Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli also have hamstring issues. Arteta is without his first-choice front line and several of their most probable replacements. The Spaniard, who finds his side seven points off leaders Liverpool, has some major decisions to make.
Predicted Arsenal XI vs Leicester (4-3-3)
Goalkeeper: David Raya
Arteta will be thankful that Raya is one of the few players who have avoided injuries this season. The Spanish shot-stopper will hope to keep a ninth clean sheet against misfiring Leicester.
Defenders: Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel, Myles Lewis-Skelly
Timber, Saliba, Gabriel and Lewis-Skelly appear to be Arteta’s first-choice back four for now. Left-back Lewis-Skelly is keeping Calafiori out of the starting XI.
Saliba and Gabriel were ripped apart by Newcastle in their last outing and will want to avoid further problems against Leicester. The Foxes have scored only four goals in their last nine Premier League matches, but they caused Manchester United huge problems in the FA Cup last week.
Midfielders: Declan Rice, Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard
The make-up of Arsenal’s midfield could depend on who Arteta chooses to replace Havertz. Captain Odegaard may adopt a position closer to the centre-forward in a fluid formation.
Rice and Partey were outstanding in Arsenal’s 5-1 win over Manchester City – the Gunners’ latest Premier League match.
Goals from midfield will be key for Arsenal’s Premier League title push, particularly without a striker.
Forwards: Ethan Nwaneri, Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling
Arsenal’s gamble to not strengthen their attack in January has backfired spectacularly – less than a fortnight after the window closed. Arteta will now select 14 Premier League and at least two Champions League teams without a recognised centre-forward.
Havertz is understood to have suffered a hamstring injury during Arsenal’s warm-weather training camp in Dubai. It will rule him out for the remainder of the season.
With Jesus also out, Arsenal have no other obvious candidate to play in the position. Trossard has played there before on rare occasions, while Sterling could also be deployed. The duo could rotate in a fluid front three with Nwaneri set to benefit from increased action.
