Big blow for Arsenal as Covid rules Mikel Arteta out of key Man City clash
Arsenal have been dealt a blow ahead of their crucial Premier League fixture with league leaders Manchester City, with Mikel Arteta due to miss the game following a positive Covid test.
Arsenal are the second most in-form team in the Premier League right now. Indeed, they have won four out of their last five league fixtures.
The Gunners are second only to Manchester City regarding form over the last five rounds of fixtures. City have won five out of a possible five during that span.
Arsenal’s good run of form has them sitting in fourth place in the Premier League, 12 points behind City.
Indeed, Arteta’s impact at Arsenal over the past year has been clear. The north London side won 79 points between last Christmas and this one, the joint second-highest total in the Premier League.
As such, the recent update by Arsenal.com will be unwelcome to the side.
“Mikel Arteta will miss our match against Manchester City on New Year’s Day after testing positive for COVID-19.
“Mikel is isolating in line with Government guidelines and we wish him well.”
Indeed, the fixture against the league leaders, who have not dropped points in the league since October, would have already been a tough challenge.
What’s more, the manager not being able to attend the game adds an extra hurdle.
Arteta dealt blow in Aubameyang replacement search
Arteta was hoping he would be able to lure in Dusan Vlahovic as a replacement for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Indeed, Arsenal are apparently willing to sell the Gabon international in January.
Vlahovic has been in scintillating form for Fiorentina this season. Indeed, he matched Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 33 Serie A goals in a calendar year recently.
The Serbian forward looks as if he will be on the move soon. However, a move to Arsenal seems unlikely, according to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.
“Arsenal, for example, his agents do not want to speak to them. They think Arsenal is not enough for him and his career,” he said.
Indeed, that is a scathing blow for Arsenal, as they look to replace their talisman with a top forward.
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