Take this news with a hefty grain or two of salt, but Erling Haaland apparently cut short his training with Man City after aggravating the foot injury that kept him out of the squad for most of December and into January—he missed five Prem matches and two FA Cup ties before returning in late January to pick up where he’d left off. To see him limp off in training with Norway might give us at the Arsenal some source of optimism ahead of our trip to the Etihad in just under a fortnight. Perhaps. As always, there might be some subterfuge to consider…

For ourselves, let’s just keep in mind that our own Gabriel Magalhães picked up some kind of nebulous knock or niggle that will prevent him from joining the Brazilian Seleção, so let’s set aside any pretenses regarding the aforementioned nebulous knocks. International duty is always a mixed bag. Even if we admit that “pointless” friendlies to do little more than expose players to those knocks and niggles, they do in fact play an important role in reacquainting players with each other ahead of more-meaningful international clashes. I do believe that there is World Cup to be played, and, for the first time in living memory, it will be played in the summer. Imagine that.

Having established that clubs of varying degrees of repute encourage their players to pick up knocks and niggles during interlulls, let’s assess Haaland’s situation. He missed most of December (four matches during which Man City were largely unperturbed aside from a 2-2 draw at home to Crystal Palace). Despite his prolific scoring, then, it doesn’t seem as if City missed him at all. If anything, his absence allowed Pep’s minions greater leeway to express themselves. In his absence, City scored 12 goals across five matches, hardly a drought by any means.

Long story short, Haaland offers—nay, demands—that the attack flow through him. I don’t mean to say that he consciously insists on this à la Ronaldo or the like. When he’s on the pitch, City’s attack focuses on offering him service. That offers us a focal point, and Saliba has shown that he can pocket the Norwegian. Shorn of his service, however, City’s attack diffuses to the wings. All of a sudden, Grealish and Silva and Foden and others are enlivened.

I’d almost prefer to see Haaland hale and hearty for our visit to the Etihad. He defines if not dictates their attack, and that hands us something of an advantage. Without his presence, we’ll have a harder time knowing whence City’s attack will come from. With that in mind, Erling, I hope you don’t mind if I break the fourth wall and encourage you to recover quickly. You wouldn’t be the first player to pick up a mysterious, nebulous knock in order to avoid international duty.

I hope I speak for all Gooners then when I state that we expect to see you in full fitness when we arrive at the Etihad.