Arsenal have begun the 2022/23 Premier League season in emphatic style, winning all of their first four games to top the table. Not only that, but the Gunners boast the joint-second best defense so far, conceding only three goals (level with Spurs), while boasting the second-best attack, scoring a lovely 11 times, a feat bettered by only Man City and Liverpool (both at 13).
However, the north London giants are already facing a number of concerns. The first came just before their weekend clash with Fulham, which they won 2-1 to maintain the only remaining perfect record in the English top-flight this term. Right before kick-off, the Gunners announced that both Thomas Partey and Oleksandr Zinchenko, two crucial players in Mikel Arteta's set-up, picked up injuries and were thus sidelined for that game.
The issue involving Partey, in particular, is concerning as the Ghanaian ace has struggled with injuries throughout his time at the Emirates Stadium. As revealed by Football London, the former Atletico Madrid man suffered a minor thigh injury that will sideline him for only a couple of weeks.
In his absence, Mohamed Elneny deputized and did a respectable job, showing that Arsenal could weather the storm until Partey's return. Unfortunately, the Premier League leaders have been hit with another blow as Elneny has now picked up an injury, with the Egyptian's issue potentially being a serious one.
As reported by David Ornstein of the Athletic, the North African ace suffered a "significant injury", which was later revealed to be a hamstring problem, in the weekend clash with the Cottagers. This "potentially significant injury" could sideline Elneny for a "considerable spell", leaving Arteta short in the midfield area.
As a result, the report by the Athletic goes on to suggest that the north London giants could be forced to abandon their previous transfer plans. With the addition of Zinchenko and the renewal of Elneny's contract, the Gunners were said to be prioritizing a winger for the remainder of the window, with Wolves' sensation Pedro Neto being the main target, albeit a difficult one to sign.
However, after this latest development, Edu and Co. could be forced to scrap that plan and dip into the market for a midfielder instead. Youri Tielemans has been heavily linked with the club, but the Leicester ace would not be cover for Partey and Elneny, let alone solve the roadblock that is the excessive fee the Foxes are allegedly demanding for a player who will be a free agent next summer.
Other reports suggest that Arsenal will wait until the extent of Mohamed's injury is determined, which will become clear over the next 24 hours after undergoing scans. As of now, the club's immediate concern is their midweek game as Jesus and Co. are set to welcome Aston Villa to the Emirates on Wednesday. Zinchenko could return for that fixture and could partner Sambi Lokonga in the midfield.
