Sept 13 V7N - Arsenal is preparing for a challenging run of fixtures, beginning with a Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby. Mikel Arteta's side, currently two points behind league leaders Manchester City and Liverpool, will have to navigate this match without key midfielders Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice.

Odegaard is sidelined due to an ankle injury sustained while on international duty with Norway, and Rice is suspended after receiving a controversial red card against Brighton. This leaves Arsenal in a vulnerable position, potentially facing a five-point gap if City and Liverpool win their matches on Saturday. Arsenal will also wear their away kit for the derby, a rare occurrence in this fixture.

Despite the injury setbacks, Arsenal can take comfort from their recent dominance in North London derbies, having won three and drawn one of their last four league encounters against Spurs. However, with a midweek Champions League fixture against Atalanta and a crucial game against Manchester City looming, Arteta is likely to rotate his squad.

Kai Havertz could be deployed in a deeper midfield role, while the absence of new signing Mikel Merino and forward Gabriel Jesus further complicates the squad rotation. Former Arsenal player Paul Merson suggested that Arteta might need to use Leandro Trossard or Raheem Sterling in more advanced roles, though this would be a significant challenge, particularly for Sterling, who recently joined the club.

On Tottenham's side, they are also managing injuries, with forwards Richarlison and Dominic Solanke and defender Micky van de Ven all missing their 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United. However, Solanke and van de Ven are expected to return for the derby.

The weekend's Premier League action will also see Manchester United face newly promoted Southampton, City hosting Brentford, and Liverpool taking on Nottingham Forest. Brighton will face Ipswich Town, while bottom-placed Everton look to recover from a poor start as they travel to Aston Villa.

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