It may well have cost Mikel Arteta plenty of sleep, but Arsenal’s international break injury and suspension problems did not get in the way of winning the season’s first North London Derby. In theory, things should get easier from here, at least temporarily.
Arteta will hope that he does not have to contend with missing a first choice midfield all at once again this term. Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard’s impressive availability suggests that it shouldn’t be a problem.
Rice himself is yet to miss a game through injury since arriving at the club, whilst Odegaard has hardly been absent himself since making a permanent switch. To have one out through what can be deemed an unfortunate suspension and the other stuck down on duty for their country is unforeseeable.
Add in Mikel Merino’s shoulder fracture before he had even settled, and it was the perfect storm. Getting through that and a trip to Tottenham is basically as hard as it comes.
