Arsenal: 4 negatives from miserable Nottingham Forest defeat

4. Injuries & Covid Absences Hurting Arsenal

If it was already bad, it’s getting far worse.

Arsenal headed up to Nottinghamshire without nine senior players through a combination of injuries, international duty and positive Covid tests, on top of allowing a striker and midfielder to leave the club on loan this window.

Ahead of facing Liverpool on Thursday, Arteta is sweating on the availability of Emile Smith Rowe, Takehiro Tomiyasu or Granit Xhaka. Folarin Balogun is also out with Covid, but is due to join Middlesbrough shortly anyway.

Xhaka is the main one, as if Arsenal lacked presence in midfield against a second tier side then there is no doubting they will away at Anfield, but with his uncertain vaccination status – he previously opted against getting one and it isn’t known if this changed – it’s a race for him to be back in time.

As for the other two, their injuries are also growing concerns, even if Smith Rowe is thought just to be precautionary. Tomiyasu, however, is out with a calf injury which may well be an aggravation of the one he picked up away at Leeds. That is worrying.

The general size of the squad is cause for alarm. Arsenal aren’t believed to be close to signing anyone yet and watching Sunday’s events makes it clear how much work there is to do to keep Premier League top four ambitions alive.