MIKEL ARTETA has some huge decisions to make in the coming weeks.
Arsenal are in the midst of an injury crisis.
Mikel Arteta has an injury crisis on his hands[/caption]
Kai Havertz has been ruled out for the remainder of the season[/caption]
Kai Havertz became the club’s latest star to suffer a significant injury this week.
The striker sustained a torn hamstring while training in Dubai and is now set to miss the remainder of the season.
And with Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli already on the treatment table, the Gunners now find themselves severely limited in attack.
Arteta currently has just three first team forwards at his disposal – loanee Raheem Sterling, 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri and Leandro Trossard.
The Spaniard could be forced to play some stars out of position while he waits for the likes of Saka and Martinelli to return next month.
Here, SunSport look at four ways Arsenal could line up in attack in the coming weeks.
Nwaneri striker
Earlier this season, Arteta admitted he would like to see Nwaneri in the No9 role one day.
He said: “I think he can develop into a No9. 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.”
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With Havertz now absent, that day could come sooner rather than later.
Should Nwaneri move into the centre, Sterling could take his place on the right until Saka returns to fitness.
Meanwhile, Trossard will probably keep his role on the left.
Sterling striker
The 30-year-old played as up top on several occasions during his Manchester City and Liverpool days.
Arsenal’s current injury crisis could see him move back into that position.
In 62 outings as a centre-forward, Sterling scored 25 goals and provided ten assists.
The Gunners will be hoping he can find his form as he approaches the end of his loan spell.
Should Sterling move inside, Nwaneri will probably go to the right with Trossard on the left.
Trossard striker
Trossard has played central on a number of occasions for Arsenal, usually in a false nine-style formation.
Arteta could utilise that again in the next few weeks to combat the absence of a striker.
Should that be the case, the Spaniard could try something completely different by moving Kieran Tierney to the wing.
Tierney played left midfield on a handful of occasions during his time at Celtic but never as high as a winger.
Such a move will probably see Nwaneri stay on the right.
Merino striker
Probably the most unexpected option on this list, Merino is also allegedly being considered as a potential striker for Arsenal.
The midfielder has never played as a No9 professionally but Arteta could give him a chance in the near future.
There is talk of the 6ft 2in star using his physique and stature as a makeshift central striker – a little bit like the way Marouane Fellaini was deployed by Manchester United.
