Martin Ødegaard suffered a left ankle injury in Norway's Nations League match against Austria, leaving his status uncertain for the North London Derby.
## What happened?
The midfielder was helped off the field, and while he hasn't been ruled out yet, the scenes on the pitch haven't left Arsenal fans with much hope.
Arsenal heads into the match against Tottenham Hotspur facing a tactical dilemma after the international break.
## Why it matters for Martin Ødegaard
Losing Ødegaard could warrant wholesale changes, or reinforce trust in the system while plugging holes as best as possible.
The injury comes at a difficult time, with Arsenal already missing Declan Rice through suspension and summer signing Mikel Merino out with a shoulder injury.
## What comes next?
Manager Mikel Arteta could move Thomas Partey into Rice's role as the left-sided midfielder while bringing Jorginho into the side.
Arteta could also stick with the same midfield duo of Jorginho and Partey while dropping Leandro Trossard or Kai Havertz back into the midfield.
Havertz remains the first-choice striker, so Trossard would likely drop into the creative role.
A midfield of Partey, Jorginho, and Trossard would maintain some sort of continuity.
Arteta could rely on his defensive depth with a formation change, starting five at the back with Riccardo Calafiori, Jurrien Timber, Gabriel, William Saliba, and Ben White.
This would make Arsenal difficult to break down, with each player comfortable playing the ball out from the back.
Arteta can play the same midfield of Jorginho and Partey with the attack unchanged to hit Tottenham on the counter.
The manager could even try bringing Timber into midfield given Partey's slow start to the season.
Arsenal's tough start to the season gets even more difficult with Manchester City on the horizon.
One thing is certain: Arteta has to get his tactical setup right if Ødegaard is going to miss considerable time.
The North London Derby is scheduled for Sunday, and Arsenal fans will be eagerly waiting to see how Arteta decides to line up.
The match against Tottenham Hotspur will be a crucial test for Arsenal, and the absence of Ødegaard will be deeply felt.
Arteta will need to make some key decisions to ensure his team comes out on top.
The injury to Ødegaard is a significant blow, but Arsenal has the depth to cope with his absence.
The question is, can they find a way to win without their star midfielder?
The answer will have to wait until Sunday, but one thing is for sure, it will be a fascinating match.