Leicester, Feb 15 As Arsenal prepare for their game against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Saturday, captain Martin Odegaard said that players need to step up given the number of players missing out due to injuries.
Arsenal were struck with disaster during their training camp in Dubai with their lone available striker Kai Havertz having torn his hamstring. The German forward has been ruled out of the season, further reducing the options left available for Arsenal’s frontline.
The Gunners have only Ethan Nwaneri, Raheem Sterling and Leo Trossard available to start in their forward line and the side will have to break down the Foxes' defence with no strikers available.
"Last year was brilliant after the break and it was good to get away for a little bit. Get some more rest between games. It was good apart from the one injury (Kai Havertz). Every time you play you feel some kind of pressure. With injuries, the players here now need to step up and that's what we're going to try and do.
"We have to be on it. We have seen how they play against the big teams. They have a lot of quality and we have to be on it - we have to start strong," said Odegaard to TNT Sports in the build-up to the game.
Fullback Ben White is also back on the Gunners bench, having been out since November nursing a knee injury.
Mikel Arteta’s side is currently seven points behind league leaders Liverpool as they chase their first league title since 2004. With Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli not expected to return till March and forwards Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz ruled out for the season, a comeback in the league will be challenging for the Gunners.
Playing XIs:
Leicester XI: Hermansen, Justin, Faes, Okoli, Kristiansen, Ndidi, Soumare, Khannouss, De Cordova-Reid, Ayew, Vardy.
Subs: Stolarczyk, Coady, Winks, Mavididi, Daka, Skipp, Vestergaard, Coulibaly, Buonanotte.
Arsenal XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Nwaneri, Sterling, Trossard.
Subs: Neto, Tierney, White, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Merino, Calafiori, Butler-Oyedeji.
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