Ethan Nwaneri injury update: Will Arsenal starlet play vs Nottingham Forest?

Arsenal will have teenager Ethan Nwaneri available for Wednesday's game at Nottingham Forest, Mikel Arteta has confirmed.

Injuries in attack have thrust the 17-year-old into an important attacking role, and Nwaneri has demonstrated his supreme talent almost every time he's taken to the field. His performance at the weekend was more subdued compared to the previous week at Leicester, and he was forced off in the final ten minutes with a suspected injury.

Arsenal are already down to the bare bones in attack, with Nwaneri, an attacking midfielder by trade, utilised as a Bukayo Saka alternative in 2025 after the Gunners' star winger tore his hamstring before Christmas. Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, and Kai Havertz have also joined the injury list.

Mikel Arteta confirms Ethan Nwaneri will be available vs Nottingham Forest

A woeful weekend leaves Arsenal 11 points behind Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table, with the Gunners requiring a mini-miracle to thrust themselves back into contention at the summit.

Arteta opted to utilise midfielder Mikel Merino, who scored twice at Leicester, from the outset on Saturday with Nwaneri and Leandro Trossard occupying the flanks, but the Gunners merely huffed and puffed against a deep-lying West Ham defence.

Much of Arsenal's work post-Dubai has been uninspiring, but Nwaneri has supplied a sense of watchability via his tremendous balance and guile in possession. If he missed any amount of time in their current situation, Arteta's side would be the most turgid of watches.

Fortunately, Arsenal will have Nwaneri at their disposal when they travel to the City Ground on Wednesday night. Arteta confirmed the 17-year-old's availability in his pre-match press conference: “Ethan was just cramping, obviously his load has been very different in recent weeks, but he’s fine,” he said (via arsenal.com).

Nwaneri's a shoo-in to start down the right flank in midweek, but we could see another switch up top given Arsenal's issues at the weekend. The alternative is far from ideal, but Raheem Sterling at least has an impressive goalscoring record against Forest, and Arteta can't give up on the veteran just yet. While Merino remains an option up top, a physical Forest defence would relish the duel with the makeshift centre-forward.

In other injury news, Arteta confirmed that Saka and Martinelli "are still a bit far from coming back" from their hamstring injuries. Both have been slated to make their comebacks next month, although Saka may have to wait until after the March international break to feature for the Gunners again.

READ THE LATEST ARSENAL NEWS HERE!