A defining period of the season calls for Arsenal to be without their inevitable strength on the right wing.
The Gunners have endured a strange week without their talismanic Hale End graduate, but an abdominal tear means Bukayo Saka is set for a stable period aside.
Saka has operated as a one-man attack for an occasionally lackluster Arsenal side this season, and their current deficit in the Premier League title race means Mikel Arteta has little time to find an optimal alternative in absence of their superstar winger.
The north Londoners are still unbeaten in the international break after November, but there is still no sign of an unwavering positive momentum building at the Emirates. still, Arsenal they are expected to end the year on a high and enter 2025 well into the title discussion.
Here's how the Gunners could line up for the visit of Ipswich on Friday night.
GK: David Raya – The Spaniard was forced into the action far more than Arteta would have liked at the weekend, but Raya's shot-stopping ability allowed the Gunners to cruise through.
RB: Jurrien Timber – The boss must be concerned about his workload, but there are few right-back options with Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu missing.
CB: William Saliba – Saliba dipped below his typical big level at the weekend, so he'll be aiming to bounce back on Friday night. The return of Liam Delap gives the Frenchman something to consider.
CB: Gabriel – Saka's absence will certainly hurt Gabriel's output, given the quality of the winger's corner kick. Who will fill that void?
LB: Riccardo Calafiori – Tough on teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly, but Calafiori is a key cog in Arteta's squad and the Spaniard should not hesitate to bring him back into his XI after he featured off the bench at Selhurst Park.
CM: Declan Rice – Rice will navigate between the #6 and #8 roles, and this looks like a game where he will drop to a deeper position after his excellent performance on Saturday. The Gunners are certainly not looking for Rice AND a holding midfielder against Ipswich.
CM: Mikel Merino – With Rice taking the starting spot, there may be an appeal for Merino, who has been flattered to cheat since joining the club, but there is definitely value.
CM: Martin Odegaard – It's the captain's time to shine. Saka took over when Odegaard was out for two months in the autumn, and now the Nordic player has to really prove its worth.
RW: Gabriel Martinelli – Arteta hinted that Martinelli will function as the primary alternative in Saka's absence, having played right-handed at the weekend. Perhaps that added responsibility will be that of the Brazilian, who has impressed with simple pace this season.
ST: Kai Havertz – Havertz he just doesn't work as a midfielder and Arteta is likely to move him back to a centre-forward position amid the Gunners' attacking reshuffle. Germany returned to a Premier League score sheet on Saturday.
LW: Gabriel Jesus – “This is Jesus' time to shine, in fairness. After terrorizing Crystal Palace last week, Jesus must now prove that his two productive outings were not simply down to a strange hatred of the south London club.