Arsenal won’t have captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or Emile Smith Rowe available for tonight’s game against Sheffield United, according to The Athletic journalist David Ornstein.
The reliable reporter has confirmed that Aubameyang will miss out due to flu while Smith Rowe has failed to recover from a knock to his ankle.
With Martin Odegaard also sidelined, manager Mikel Arteta has far fewer options for the front three than usual, and some fans on Twitter are hoping that they will see Gabriel Martinelli make a rare start:
Martinelli starts?
— Benguin (@Benguin434) April 11, 2021
Arteta will still find a way to leave martinelli on the bench
— Sam23?⚪️ (@AFC_SAM23) April 11, 2021
Martinelli Balogun Saka front three needed today
— Armin Imamovic (@ArminImamovic6) April 11, 2021
More bothered about smith Rowe being out ?
— carl jacobi (@carljacobi79) April 11, 2021
the season is over for us… we might as well give youth a chance and test players with next season in mind.
— Frederick Buhr (@NewMarketMind) April 11, 2021
Like Aubameyang makes any difference nowadays we will surely miss Smith Rowe though
— Benard Makumbi ?? (@benar_1) April 11, 2021
Can still guarantee Willian will start infront of Martinelli ?
— Niall Dunn (@NiallDunn) April 11, 2021
Not much of a loss Auba being out. He's not really existed in the last few Prem League games. Smith Rowe is a big loss. Martinelli must play but Willian will probably start instead.
— Daniel Cheng (@danielchengg1) April 11, 2021
Its not that bad actually, it could be a blessing in disguise but i would still love to have ESR on the bench tho
— MarioKart (@maropene_mario) April 11, 2021
Gonna miss ESR… This kid is really a wonder. Arsenal is fortunate to have ESR, Saka, Bologun, Azeez, Martinelli
— Rol 3883 (@Rol569880) April 11, 2021
As some supporters point out, there is no guarantee that Martinelli will be given an opportunity by Arteta. Willian could come in to play off the left, with Nicolas Pepe on the right and Alexandre Lacazette through the middle.
Considering nothing is really riding on the game at Bramall Lane, though, perhaps giving some younger players a chance would be a more sensible option, allowing the senior stars to rest before the huge game in Prague next week.