As if someone cursed them: Fifth forward joins Arsenal's hospital

Last season, Arsenal had numerous issues with leading players' injuries, which was one of the main reasons the Gunners failed to put in a better fight in the title race with Liverpool. However, after a fantastic transfer window, the North London side became a Premier League team with arguably the deepest squad.

Nevertheless, the troubles from the past campaign have returned to bother Mikel Arteta...

Madueke's knee injury: Arsenal are hoping for the best

Gabriel Jesus was lost midway through the previous season. The Brazilian has been sidelined since mid-January and won't be at Arteta's disposal until January 2026.

Kai Havertz suffered a tricky knee injury in the second EPL round clash against Leeds and won't return until the last week of November, missing over a quarter of the season.

Arsenal's "Starboy" Bukayo Saka's case may be the most peculiar. The Gunners' vice-captain missed as many as 25 games for the club and the national team during the last campaign due to muscle, thigh, and hamstring injuries, respectively.

In a firm full of Arsenal fans, you can reject a Spurs applicant

He clocked 90 minutes in this season's opening duel against Man United, and then the latter of the three aforementioned injuries hit him again in the same match in which Havertz got injured - against Leeds.

Since then, Saka has missed the EPL games against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest and Arsenal's first UCL clash in the new European campaign against Athletic Bilbao. And even though he spent the entire second half on the pitch against Man City two days ago, it's clear that Arteta cannot completely rely on Saka due to his injury-proneness.

The skipper, Martin Odegaard, injured his shoulder after only 18 minutes against Forest and is expected to be sidelined until the end of the month, according to predictions.

However, the latest unavailable forward may easily be the biggest blow for Arsenal.

Namely, many were surprised when Arteta subbed out Noni Madueke for Saka already at the break in the derby against the Cityzens, especially since the Gunners were 1-0 down. After the game, the information appeared that the sub was forced, as the ex-Chelsea man couldn't continue, and today, that claim was confirmed, and Arsenal fans won't like it at all.

Madueke will miss the following two months due to a hamstring injury, and all that after being one of the best Gunners' players at the beginning of the season!

At the same time, the newly arisen situation will be a serious challenge for Arteta, as he'll have to put together a team with very limited resources in the attack.

Viktor Gyokeres, as the genuine striker, and Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, who have mainly been the Spaniard's option from the bench this season, are the only three healthy forwards in Arsenal's squad. Apart from them, there's the 15-year-old Max Dowman, who debuted in the EPL against Leeds, but is too young to have a more serious role on the team, as well as Mikel Merino, who played as a striker several times last season, as Arteta's last resort.

Now, although he probably didn't see it coming, the strategist will once again have to get in the lab, do experiments, and come up with a formula for success.

EFL CUP - ROUND 3

Tuesday

21.45: (9.00) Barnsley (5.80) Brighton (1.30)

21.45: (1.60) Burnley (3.90) Cardiff (6.00)

21.45: (1.17) Fulham (7.50) Cambridge (16.0)

21.45: (15.0) Lincoln City (7.25) Chelsea (1.18)

21.45: (2.35) Wigan (3.20) Wycombe (2.90)

21.45: (2.95) Wolverhampton (3.35) Everton (2.40)

21.45: (1.65) Wrexham (3.60) Reading (5.10)

22.00: (1.15) Liverpool (8.00) Southampton (16.0)

Wednesday

21.45: (19.0) Huddersfield (8.50) Man.City (1.13)

21.45: (1.10) Newcastle (11.0) Bradford (18.0)

21.45: (1.15) Tottenham (7.75) Doncaster (19.0)

22.00: (18.0) Port Vale (11.0) Arsenal (1.10)

***odds are subject to change***