Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been handed an untimely concern over the fitness of Martin Odegaard for Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.
The Norway international was forced off in the dying embers of Sunday's 2-0 Premier League loss to Aston Villa with an unspecified issue, which may have been related to the kick to the ribs he took from Diego Carlos.
Arteta has admitted that Odegaard - who was able to train on Tuesday - will need a late assessment, but the visitors are sure to be without Jurrien Timber, still undergoing the final stages of his ACL rehabilitation.
There could still be scope for a change at full-back, though, as Oleksandr Zinchenko was found wanting against Villa, as was Jakub Kiwior in the first half of last week's 2-2 draw with Bayern.
As a result, the defensively-sound Takehiro Tomiyasu should come into Arteta's thinking for a start in the otherwise settled rearguard comprising David Raya, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Ben White.
Arteta's decision to drop Kai Havertz into a deeper role on Sunday did not pay dividends, so the Gunners boss ought to consider recalling either Jorginho or Thomas Partey, allowing Declan Rice to occupy the left eight role.
As things stand, Odegaard will seemingly be fit to hold his place in the Arsenal engine room, while Havertz could revert to his effective striking role, potentially with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli alongside him despite Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard's heroics in the first leg.
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu; Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
> Click here to see how Bayern could line up for the second leg
Ben Knapton
