Arsenal supporters were riding a wave of euphoria after the Gunners celebrated their Champions League return with a 4-0 beatdown of Peter Bosz's PSV Eindhoven.
It was the best Mikel Arteta's side had looked at the start of the 2023/24 campaign, with the manner in which they picked apart PSV's bold defensive structure ensuring fans were confident heading into the north London derby.
However, a disappointing 2-2 draw later and air of melancholy has suddenly enveloped the club. Arsenal's underwhelming showing on Sunday combined with the realisation that their closest rivals are decent at football again sobered up a previously fervent fanbase. Injuries, in addition, have also played their role in the current mood.
Arteta's absences meant the boss found it tough to strike a balance in the derby, and such woes were exacerbated in the second half. The Spaniard will now take his team to west London for the start of their Carabao Cup campaign against Brentford, and while he was expected to rotate his starting XI anyway, Arsenal's bench is likely to be consumed by academy graduates as opposed to first-team regulars.
Arsenal's current injuries
Jurrien Timber tore his ACL on gameweek one against Nottingham Forest and is a long-term absentee. While reports suggest the Dutchman is progressing well in his recovery, he isn't expected to be back in action until the spring.
Thomas Partey's availability woes continue to plague his time in north London. A recurrent thigh injury has kept him out of action since the September international break, although there's hope the midfielder could be back fit for Arsenal's crunch Premier League bout against Manchester City on October 8.
Injuries to Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard meant Arteta was forced to deploy Gabriel Jesus out wide on Sunday which inhibited the Gunners' attacking balance as Eddie Nketiah struggled up top. Martinelli tweaked his hamstring in the win over Everton, while Trossard picked up a muscular issue and was ruled out of the derby.
While these two wingers will miss Wednesday's cup tie at Brentford, they could both return to the fold against Bournemouth on Saturday.
Another injury concern arose during Tottenham's visit as Declan Rice was forced off at half-time. A calf injury was initially feared, but Arteta confirmed that back discomfort had been troubling the midfielder. Fortunately, Rice hasn't sustained a major issue, although he could spend a brief period on the sidelines.
