Big chance: 28yo Arsenal star poised to start vs Leeds United after another injury blow
Arsenal suffered another setback yesterday as Christos Tzolis sustained a hamstring injury while playing for Greece against the Netherlands in the Nations League.
The 24-year-old was substituted after just 18 minutes. He is now a major doubt for the Gunners when they take on Leeds United in the Premier League on October 10.
The Greek will be assessed on his return to the Gunners, but it seems unlikely he will be deemed fit for the Premier League clash against Leeds at the Emirates Stadium.
This could pave the way for Eberechi Eze’s first league start of the season. He has played second fiddle to Tzolis on the left wing during the early part of the top-flight campaign.
The Englishman operated as an attacking midfielder in his debut season, but has been utilised on the left flank this term after the exits of Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli.
Eze’s starts in the Champions League and Carabao Cup have come from the left side of the attack, which is a clear indication that manager Mikel Arteta views him as a proper solution for the role.
Earlier last month, Arteta said that the 28-year-old is ‘very comfortable‘ playing as a left winger and highlighted that the biggest moments of his career have come from there.
Eze has yet to make a goal contribution in the league this season, but he made a big difference as a half-time substitute at Aston Villa, providing a key pass for Riccardo Calafiori, who put the ball on the plate for Bukayo Saka’s winning goal.
He is obviously a different player to Tzolis, who has the knack of delivering early passes into the box from out wide. Eze prefers to cut inside like a left-sided number 10 and looks poised to start on the left wing against Leeds after Tzolis’ setback.
Tzolis is the latest player to be sidelined for Arsenal after Kai Havertz, who also suffered a hamstring injury on Germany duty. The striker sustained the issue in the first game of the Nations League campaign and faces a race against time to be fit.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
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