ARSENAL have been dealt a major injury blow after Martin Odegaard was forced off injured against Nottingham Forest.
The Gunners playmaker was named in the starting XI for the clash at the Emirates.
Shutterstock EditorialMartin Odegaard was forced off injured against Nottingham Forest[/caption]
PAOdegaard had a heavy fall on the Emirates turf after eight minutes[/caption]
ReutersHe appeared emotional as he left the pitch in the 18th minute[/caption]
However, Odegaard was involved in a heavy fall on his shoulder – the same one he bruised against Leeds last month – after jumping over a challenge between Jurrien Timber and Morgan Gibbs-White.
The 26-year-old fell hard on the turf in the eighth minute, and received treatment before carrying on.
But the Dane appeared tearful as he was forced to leave the pitch in the 18th minute, with Ethan Nwaneri replacing him off the bench.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had named a midfield today which had played together before at Real Sociedad in the 2019/20 season.
But it is an unwelcome headache for Arteta with his chief playmaker potentially aggravating the injury which forced him to be benched against Liverpool before the international break.
Arteta is already without key men Bukayo Saka and William Saliba.
Talisman Saka limped also off against Leeds carrying a hamstring injury which is set to keep him sidelined until October.
Meanwhile, Saliba was forced to pull out of the France squad over the international break due to the ankle injury he picked in the warm-up before the 1-0 loss to Liverpool.
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Reports had suggested the 24-year-old might be out for up to a month, before Arteta said the defender was back in training ahead of the Forest clash.
However, Arteta chose not to risk the defensive stalwart with Saliba was not named in the matchday squad.
Arsenal travel to Spain for the first game in their Champions League campaign against Athletic Bilbao on Tuesday, before hosting Manchester City the following Sunday.
Consecutive trips to Port Vale in the third round of the League Cup and then to Newcastle follow that before a Champions League home game against Olympiacos.
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