Arsenal fans spent most of Wednesday fretting about their lack of a striker for the remainder of this season, then rejoiced in the evening as Everton’s dramatic Merseyside derby draw offered them a glimmer of hope in the Premier League title race.. But the biggest impediment to closing Liverpool’s seven-point lead is even more obvious now than a week ago. Arsenal looked underpowered with Kai Havertz leading the line. Now the German is out for the rest of the season, and it’s difficult to see where the goals will come from.. The Gunners decided against signing a striker in January, a decision that has backfired spectacularly within 10 days of the window closing. Leandro Trossard might be the man to lead the line now, but that doesn’t exactly scream ‘title winners’.. Those Arsenal fans scrolling social media after the chaos at Goodison Park might have been in for a reminder of one that got away, however. Events at Leigh Sports Village were never going to compete for national attention with the last Merseyside derby at Everton’s historic home, but for Arsenal, they could have been just as significant.. Promoting youth has been a theme of their season under Mikel Arteta, with Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri making an impact in the first team. If they had agreed terms with Chido Obi-Martin in the summer, the 17-year-old striker would surely be in the picture now.. Rather than plundering a hat-trick against Chelsea for Manchester United’s Under-18s in the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup, he would be in Dubai. When Havertz tore his hamstring in training this week, his chance would surely have arrived.. Instead, Obi-Martin is knocking on the door for a United debut. At Arsenal, he might have played because they have no strikers. At United, supporters want him in the team because the current forwards aren’t cutting the mustard.. Arsenal fan accounts were lamenting the striker’s loss on social media on Wednesday night. Given Arteta’s desire to promote youth this season, he would surely be guaranteed games now. Last season, he scored 10 goals in one game for Arsenal Under-16s, but he couldn’t agree terms on a new scholarship deal in the summer, which would have become his first professional deal when he turned 17 last November.. He signed that pro deal with United instead. He has seven goals in three games in the FA Youth Cup and five in six games in the U18 Premier League. The New Year has also brought his first involvement with the U21s in Premier League 2.. United are keen to manage expectations around the Danish youth international, but with each swashbuckling performance in front of goal, that is getting harder. Ruben Amorim was even asked about his progress ahead of last weekend’s FA Cup win against Leicester City.. “He’s doing his job,” said the United head coach. “He’s improving and playing in the youth teams. We will see at the end of the season.”. By the end of the season, his first team debut might have arrived. Hojlund and Zirkzee are toiling away for Amorim, but neither looks like the answer at No.9.. Amorim recently explained that his side isn’t making it easy for their strikers at the moment, and there might be some caution about throwing Obi-Martin into a first-team environment that isn’t set up for him to thrive in. The strikers are getting little to no service in that side.. If he had been still at Arsenal, that wouldn’t have been an issue. The situation at the Emirates is desperate, and the teenager would surely have been thrown in at the deep end.. United can afford to be more patient, but Obi-Martin’s goals, pace, and strength are making a strong case for a promotion sooner rather than later. At 6ft 2ins, he is already a good size for a Premier League striker.. Arsenal visit Old Trafford in just under a month. If they still had Obi-Martin available then he would have been in the squad. At this rate, he might be in United’s squad by then.
