SETTABLOID

The first half was a worrying sign for the Gunners who created incredibly little. Raheem Sterling and Leandro Trossard were caught offside more times each than the side had shots.

Ethan Nwaneri would hit the bar in the second half to give some belief that a goal was coming for Arsenal. Then he managed to try another magical strike which struck the post square-on.

He would take a break from shooting, however, to find the perfect cross. Curling a ball to the back-post where Mikel Merino would leap and head into the back of the net, before the midfielder added another on a breakaway to seal all three points.

David Raya – Had very little to do in the first half and was tested only with a half-hit volley from Wilfred Ndidi which he comfortably collected. 7

Jurrien Timber – Strong on the right-hand side, finding good passes and support to Ethan Nwaneri. Reliable in tight spaces but did lack the overlapping threat still other full-backs offer. 7

William Saliba – After a tricky start to the year, William Saliba was back to hit best again and looked composed at the back for Arsenal. Rarely tested by Jamie Vardy during the game. 7

Gabriel Magalhaes – Similar to Saliba, faced few tests during the game but sadly could not have the impact he has become infamous for in the opposition box. 7

Arsenal take on Leicester City at the King Power Stadium in today’s early Premier League kick-off.

The Gunners are presently seven points behind leaders Liverpool. They have the opportunity to reduce the gap before the Reds host Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.

The Gunners are presently seven points behind leaders Liverpool. They have the opportunity to reduce the gap before the Reds host Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.

Arsenal’s injury woes have been well documented in recent weeks but Mikel Arteta will finally welcome back one crucial player to the squad against Leicester City on Saturday.

Ben White has been unavailable since undergoing knee surgery at the beginning of November but is expected to be named in the squad this weekend. The 27-year-old has been a regular under Arteta since making the £50million move from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2021 and his absence at right-back has been felt these past few months.

The Englishman has been training for a number of weeks now and was part of the squad which travelled to Dubai for the warm-weather training camp last week. Asked if White will return to the squad this weekend, Arteta said in his pre-match press conference.

Jurrien Timber, who has done a fine job at right-back in White’s absence, is expected to start against the Foxes but we may well see White make his long-awaited return, perhaps as a second half substitute. Elsewhere, Arteta admitted that Kai Havertz’s hamstring injury picked up in Dubai is a “big blow”. The German requires surgery on the issue and will play no further part this season.

Arsenal return to Premier League action against Leicester City on Saturday, but the break has done them no favours. Instead of coming back refreshed, Mikel Arteta’s squad has been further depleted, with Kai Havertz ruled out for the season due to a hamstring injury.

The timing could not be worse. The Gunners are already without key players, and the lack of attacking reinforcements in January now looks like a major oversight. Despite this, Arteta remains bullish. He insists his squad has the resilience to overcome setbacks, but this latest injury raises serious questions about their ability to sustain a title challenge.

Arsenal’s last outing was a disastrous 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United in the EFL Cup semi-finals, a performance devoid of the energy and sharpness that saw them dismantle Manchester City days earlier. That loss means they are now fighting on only two fronts: the Premier League and the Champions League. Given their growing injury list, that may be a blessing in disguise.

Havertz’s absence is particularly problematic. His pressing, aerial ability, and link-up play have been integral to Arsenal’s attacking structure. Without him, Arteta is left scrambling for solutions. There has been speculation about Ethan Nwaneri playing up front, while Leandro Trossard, or even Declan Rice could be shifted into unfamiliar roles. None of these options is ideal.

The manager is adamant that his squad can cope. He pointed out on Friday that they have already played without William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Bukayo Saka at different points this season and remained competitive. However, there is a limit to how much a team can absorb before cracks start to show.

The gap to league leaders Liverpool is seven points, but Arsenal have been in this position before. Last season, a post-Christmas surge propelled them into a commanding lead before injuries and fatigue caught up with them. If history is to avoid repeating itself, they need to adapt quickly.

Fabrizio Romano has provided an emphatic update on speculation Arsenal could sell William Saliba to Real Madrid.

Saliba, 23, is already one of world football’s premier centre-halves. The classy Frenchman has formed a rock solid partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes that has underpinned Arsenal’s title challenges over the last two-and-a-half seasons.

Furthermore, it’s was then stated Saliba ‘considers the Madrid club as the ultimate dream of his career, and the prospect of playing with his friend Kylian Mbappe, also from Bondy (an area of Paris), is a strong argument in his thinking.’

On the subject of cost, it was claimed Arsenal would demand £100m before cashing in. A sale at that price would make Saliba the world’s most expensive defender, surpassing Harry Maguire’s £80m transfer to Manchester United in 2019 by £20m.

The speculation and rumblings around Saliba have prompted transfer guru Fabrizio Romano to provide his insight on the situation.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano confirmed Real Madrid view Saliba in the highest regard, claiming one figure within the club sees him as the ‘[Jude] Bellingham of defenders.’

However, as yet no club-to-club talks have taken place and Romano stressed Arsenal will do everything in their power to prevent an exit.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has made it clear that he intends to keep star striker Alexander Isak for as long as possible. The 25-year-old Swedish international, who holds the record as the Magpies’ most expensive signing at £63million, has netted 19 goals this season and is rumoured to be on the radar of clubs like Arsenal and Barcelona.

The upcoming face-off between Isak and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, who boasts 27 goals this season, will not only draw comparisons but also highlights Newcastle’s need to hold onto their top scorer. When quizzed about Isak’s importance to the club’s future success, given his contract runs for another three and a half years, Howe responded: “We have to try and keep our best players.

Isak’s impressive form, with 18 goals in his last 21 appearances, has been instrumental in Newcastle’s recent upturn, propelling them to their second Carabao Cup final in three seasons and within striking distance of the top four. Howe will need him to be at his best again at the Etihad Stadium if his side are to end a near 25-year wait for a league win at City.

When pressed to pick between Isak and Haaland, Howe said: “I’m sure Pep would give the same answer – I love working with Alex and I wouldn’t swap him for anyone.

Arsenal are ready to make a renewed effort to convince Manuel Locatelli to move to the Emirates Stadium, with a report in the Italian media claiming that Mikel Arteta is personally keen on a deal for the Juventus star who has been described by one pundit as the best Italian midfielder at the moment.

While much has been made about Arsenal’s desperate need to sign a new striker in the summer transfer window, the case to bring in more bodies for the midfield department can also be made. Jorginho is likely to leave for Flamengo in the summer transfer window, while Thomas Partey is also out of contract at the end of the season.

Arsenal have been described as frontrunners in the chase to sign Nico Williams from Athletic Club this summer.

Williams was expected to leave Athletic last summer after playing a starring role in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph. The left winger notched two goals and an assist in six appearances at the tournament, sparking interest from a host of top sides including Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Barcelona and Real Madrid.

But Williams instead opted to remain with his boyhood club and spend another season developing.

While the attacker has not had the best season in front of goal – with his record standing at four goals and five assists in 30 matches – he remains a coveted talent across Europe.

Emirates Stadium is the ‘most likely destination’ for Williams as Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is ‘insistent’ on his capture.

While the 22-year-old is enticed by the prospect of starring for Barca, he sees the next part of his career as being in the Premier League, which puts Arsenal in a very strong position.

Unlike most top wingers, Arsenal will not have to break the bank to snare Williams.

Williams has an attractive release clause in his Athletic contract worth €58million (£48.3m / $60.5m). That is a fee well within Arsenal’s reach as they are understood to be preparing for a transformative summer window.

Nico Williams would be sensational Arsenal signing

£48.3m could eventually be viewed as a bargain price for Williams, as he is someone who can already impact the biggest of matches and also has elite potential.

The Spain star would be a great addition to Arsenal’s forward line, which has been ravaged by injuries of late.

Arteta can only use Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling and Ethan Nwaneri in attack currently after Kai Havertz joined Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli in the treatment room.

Arsenal are confident of signing Sesko, but, as history shows, anything can happen when Chelsea and Arsenal go head to head in a transfer battle.

Indeed, both of these teams have butted heads over a number of players in recent years.

Chelsea pinched Mykhaylo Mudryk from Arsenal, while Arsenal ultimately signed Declan Rice after years of being courted by Chelsea.

Meanwhile, Arsenal bid for Moises Caicedo just six months before he signed for Chelsea.

Chelsea also wanted Riccardo Calafiori in the summer, but he joined Arsenal instead.

These two clubs are often at war in the transfer window, and while Sesko appears to be more likely to end up at Arsenal right now, there can often be twists and turns when Chelsea are involved in any sort of transfer saga.

Gyokeres remains a top option for both clubs who should not be put off signing an elite striker just because of his age.

The 26-year-old’s goal-scoring record is just phenomenal this season having netted 34 goals in 35 matches in all competitions.

Both London clubs are likely to be able to offer him Champions League football next season making them very attractive options for the striker.