Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta confirmed in the aftermath of his side's draw with Nottingham Forest that Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are not scheduled to return before the March international break.
The Gunners were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Forest on Wednesday night, failing to truly threaten their opponents despite enjoying 65% possession.
Arsenal looked devoid of attacking ideas, but it was no surprise given Saka, Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus all missed out on the draw.
When asked in the aftermath of the result whether Saka or Martinelli could return before the next international break, Arteta was sceptical, saying: "I don't think so, no."
When pressed on if the duo could return for Arsenal's game against Fulham on April 1 after the break, the Spaniard was cautious, telling reporters: "I think so, but again, let's see how they evolve in the next few weeks to make the right steps as well, and then after that, they've been out for a long, long time, so we're going to have to integrate them as well, probably gradually. So they're evolving well, but they're still a bit far."
The timeframe provided by the head coach would indicate that they will miss both legs of the Gunners' Champions League round of 16 clash against PSV Eindhoven, as well as games against Manchester United and Chelsea.
© Imago
What can Arsenal achieve this season?
Arsenal's draw against Forest means they are now 13 points behind first-placed Liverpool, and though they boast a game in hand on the league leaders, it is hard to see that gap closing between now and the end of the season.
The Gunners failed to created one expected goal on Wednesday and have failed to score in back-to-back Premier League games for the first time since May 2023.
Ethan Nwaneri started his sixth top-flight game of the campaign in attack, but given he is just 17 years old, it is difficult to expect him to replicate the impact of players like Saka.
The Londoners are still in the Champions League and have what appears to be a favourable tie on paper against PSV, but as West Ham United and Forest demonstrated, it is possible to frustrate Arteta's side by sitting in deep.
Arsenal still boast a formidable defensive record this season having only conceded 23 goals in the Premier League - the best in the division - and they could rely on their backline to get the better of teams like Real Madrid in the latter stages of the Champions League.
However, there is no doubt that the Gunners could struggle in the coming weeks without their key attacking stars, and it would not be surprising if PSV caused them numerous problems over the course of the tie.
Lewis Nolan
