Arsenal stars to miss just two Premier League games
There was a huge worry among Arsenal fans about losing some of our best players due to the African Cup of Nations which is to be held in January 2022.
Arsenal have crucial first team players in the shape of Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Nicolas Pepe, Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny participating in the tournament.
They can be joined up with fresh summer recruits In Yves Bissouma and Andre Onana hopefully. However, the Gunners’ faithful sighed in relief when the Premier League released the fixtures for the 2020/21 campaign.
The Gunners only have two Premier League fixtures during the course of AFCON. Mikel Arteta’s team will play against North London rivals Totten*am Hotspur and Sean Dyche’s Burnley.
Although the players will be missed for the derby, losing them for only a couple of league fixtures should be considered as a win, even though Tottenham will now be hot favourites to win the game on Sites such as this one. But we always beat the Spuds anyway!
However, the Gunners are expected to play an FA Cup fixture and even a League Cup tie in between the league matches, if they do end up reaching the latter stages (of League Cup).
But Arsenal already have young, talented players who can offset the impact. Folarin Balogun or Gabriel Martinelli can directly replace Aubameyang up front. While Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli can play on either flank to cover up for Nicolas Pepe.
New signings might be brought in to replace Granit Xhaka, Martin Odegaard and Elneny. Many reports have suggested that the Gunners will try to sign two central midfielders. Thus replacing the duo should not be a huge worry for Mikel Arteta.
The big concern will however be of them getting injured in the tournament. That’s where Arsenal will feel helpless.
All the supporters and the club’s board can do is hope. Because those players might aid Arsenal’s finish in the European places, or even Champions League, come the end of next summer.