With both goals of Arsenal's 2-0 victory over Leicester coming from super sub midfielder Mikel Merino, are Arsenal's potential attacking woes going to keep them from winning the Premier League once again and ending a championship drought?
Arsenal's attack is looking depleted after recent injuries to Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus, with the latter sidelined for the rest of the season. Bukayo Saka is a long-term absence, and Mikel Arteta confirmed that Kai Havertz will also miss the remainder of the season through a hamstring injury.
Their forward options seem to be lacking in more depth each passing week. With no additions brought in during the winter transfer window either, it could be a long final stretch to the season for the Gunners.
However, if there is any light down this tunnel of injury despair that Arsenal could possibly conjure up, it is that they still have the use of their set pieces at their disposal. Arsenal have scored 32 goals from set pieces since the start of last season, with that equating to just under 25% of their goals.
These goals have come at crucial times in the seasons too, with centre-back Gabriel scoring in one North London Derby win and setting up a goal from another set-piece header in the second.
The Gunners have also scored from set pieces in games against both Manchester sides, their draw with title rivals Liverpool and their late win over Leicester City earlier in the season.
Although in this Leicester game, they scored without a set piece with Merino scoring from two different crosses.
As well as this, the team did well to create chances, mostly through their youth on the wing with Ethan Nwaneri who ended up getting the assist for Merino's first goal.
However, this was against a Leicester team who have been struggling for results in the league this season with them being in the relegation zone on four wins for the season.
In Arsenal's next five games however, they have two London derbies against Chelsea and West Ham respectively as well as a high flying Nottingham Forest team in that time too.
This stretch of games until April 1st could prove a huge test for if Arsenal can be true title contenders with the mass of injuries they currently have.
Every game, derby or not, is a must-win for the Gunners if they are to chase down a stuttering Liverpool side and secure their first title for 21 years.
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