Three ways Arsenal could line up without Viktor Gyokeres after injury setback

Mikel Arteta facing selection dilemma in attack following fitness blow for £55m striker

Mikel Arteta faces a selection headache in attack for Arsenal ’s Champions League clash with Slavia Prague .

The Gunners will be without eight first-team players in the Czech Republic, and six of those are attackers.

Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz , Martin Odegaard and Noni Madueke are all out with knee injuries, while Gabriel Martinelli and Viktor Gyokeres have muscular issues.

The biggest problem for Arteta is that Arsenal do not have a recognised striker to call upon in the absence of Havertz, Jesus and Gyokeres.

Here, Standard Sport looks at some solutions to that problem in Prague…

This is the most likely answer for Arteta, and the one he chose last season.

Mikel Merino led the line for Arsenal from February onwards last season after Kai Havertz injured his hamstring.

Versatile: Mikel Merino

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Merino deputised well and scored seven goals during his stint as a No9, including one against Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

The Spaniard is now viewed as an emergency option for Arteta if Arsenal need a striker and he turned to him on Saturday at Burnley, when Gyokeres went off injured at half-time.

Merino was also given the nod upfront when the Gunners travelled to Port Vale in the third round of the Carabao Cup in September.

He has been in fine goalscoring form for club and country this season, finding the net seven times.

Merino would give Arsenal experience and a focal point at the top of the pitch, but his lack of pace means he is not a threat in behind defences.

Possible XI (4-3-3): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Nwaneri, Norgaard, Rice; Saka, Merino, Trossard

It caught a few people by surprise when Andre Harriman-Annous was handed his debut against Brighton last week.

The 17-year-old striker has been training with the first team and went on the summer tour to Asia, but it was suspected Arteta may start Merino to hand Gyokeres a rest.

Harriman-Annous is highly thought of by those at Arsenal , though, after scoring 18 goals in 37 appearances for their youth teams last season.

Inexperienced: Andre Harriman-Annous

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The Gunners showed their faith in the young striker back in August, when he was handed his first professional contract.

Harriman-Annous did well on his senior debut last week and it was his saved shot that Bukayo Saka turned home to make it 2-0.

He gave Arsenal a threat in behind and also did a decent job of linking the play, despite being up against three centre-backs.

“I think he’s been very consistent, training with us and constantly giving us the option to pick him,” Arteta said last week, when speaking about Harriman-Annous. “He certainly proved that he’s got a chance.”

Possible XI (4-3-3): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Nwaneri, Norgaard, Merino; Saka, Harriman-Annous, Trossard

Leandro Trossard has proved a solution in the past and his versatility is one of the reasons why he is one of Arteta’s favourite players.

Indeed, since Arteta was hired in December 2019, only nine players have made more appearances for Arsenal than Trossard.

The 30-year-old spoke on Monday night, before this game in Prague, about how his favoured position is out left - which is where he has played this season.

Bit-part: Leandro Trossard

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Trossard has performed well, and been directly involved in six goals, but Arteta may want him to fill in as the No9.

The Belgian usually operates as a ‘false nine’ when asked to do so, dropping deep to link up the play.

An advantage of starting Harriman-Annous or Trossard is that it would allow Arteta to play Merino in midfield and rest Declan Rice, who is one yellow card away from a suspension.

If Rice is booked against Slavia Prague , he will miss Arsenal’s next Champions League match, which is against Bayern Munich.

Possible XI (4-3-3): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Nwaneri, Norgaard, Merino; Saka, Trossard, Eze