Mikel Arteta handed another injury blow as Leandro Trossard forced off against Israel, taking the Gunners’ injury tally to six first-team players.

AFP

WHAT HAPPENED?

Trossard, who has featured in 15 of Arsenal’s 17 games so far this season, has emerged as an important player in Arteta’s system in recent times. However, it looks like the Arsenal boss is set to be without the Belgian forward for the foreseeable future, after Trossard was forced off in the first half of Belgium’s sorry defeat to Israel in the Nations League.

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THE BIGGER PICTURE

Having played all 90 minutes in Belgium’s defeat to Italy on Thursday, Trossard started once again as they looked to bounce back against Israel. However, 37 minutes in, Trossard was substituted off, looking far from happy. The forward had been moving around gingerly in the preceding minutes with something clearly wrong, and Belgium coach Dominic Tedesco saw enough to take him off before further damage was done.

Arsenal went into the international break with concerns over the fitness of England duo Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice, while Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are also all out with long term injuries. With Trossard now also added to that list, Arsenal are now potentially missing six first-team players, the last thing Arteta needs before a tricky game against Nottingham Forest at the weekend.

DID YOU KNOW?

Leandro Trossard has scored 20 goals and assisted 13 more since his arrival at Arsenal from Brighton in the January 2023 transfer window. He has 45 goals in English football since signing for Brighton in 2019.

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WHAT NEXT FOR TROSSARD AND ARSENAL?

The nature of Trossard’s injury is not clear yet, but with Arsenal’s game against Forest looming closer, it looks unlikely the Belgian will be fit enough to take part.

As a result, Arteta may need to name a slightly patchwork team. Recently he has played midfielder Thomas Partey at right-back, and centre-back Jurrien Timber at left-back in a bid to find a makeshift balance with so many first-team players out.

There is a silver lining for Arsenal, and it is the return to full fitness for captain Martin Odegaard. The Norwegian skipped international duty this week in order to return to full fitness, and with two weeks of recovery under his belt by the time Arsenal kick-off against Forest, the midfield maestro should be back to his sparkling best.