Mikel Arteta has confirmed Arsenal face an anxious wait over the fitness of Leandro Trossard after the forward was forced off during the Gunners' Champions League victory over Bayern Munich.
Precautionary Substitution Raises Concerns
The Belgian international was substituted just ten minutes before half-time during Wednesday night's European encounter at the Emirates Stadium, despite having earlier found the net for his side. Noni Madueke replaced Trossard and went on to score what proved to be the decisive goal after the interval.
Goals from Jurrien Timber and Gabriel Martinelli secured the important victory over the Bundesliga giants, but concern quickly overshadowed the triumph when Trossard made his premature exit.
Speaking after the match, Arteta revealed the reasoning behind his decision. "With Leo, we don't know," the Arsenal manager admitted. "He said he felt something, we didn't want to take any risk, obviously."
Injury Comes at Worst Possible Time
The potential setback arrives at a particularly frustrating moment for both player and club. Trossard has been enjoying his finest spell of the campaign, with all three of his Premier League goals coming since the season resumed after the October international break.
His performance reached a spectacular high point in the recent 4-1 thrashing of Tottenham Hotspur, where he not only scored the opening goal but also provided the assist for Eberechi Eze's fourth.
So far this season, Trossard has registered five goals and five assists in 16 appearances across all competitions. Only Bukayo Saka and the injured Viktor Gyokeres have scored more frequently for the Gunners, with six goals each.
Fixture Congestion Compounds Arsenal's Problems
Arteta's squad now faces a demanding schedule of five fixtures within the next 13 days, beginning with a Premier League trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea on Sunday.
The potential absence of Trossard further depletes Arsenal's attacking options, which are already severely limited with Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres all sidelined through injury.
Defender Gabriel Magalhaes represents another significant absence, having featured in every match this season before sustaining an injury while on international duty with Brazil.
Arteta had previously emphasised his determination to keep Trossard at the club during the summer transfer window, stating after the North London Derby: "For me, it was forbidden for him to leave. No chance. I know the player that he is, and surrounded by the players that we have, he's a player who is going to make a difference for us."
Arsenal will be hoping that faith isn't tested by an extended period on the treatment table for one of their most in-form attackers.
