The international break came at the worst possible time for Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta's side had just won six Premier League matches on the bounce before club football's two-week hiatus, with the north London outfit currently eight points clear of second-placed Manchester City going into the final two months of the 2022/23 campaign. Although, City do have a game in hand on their title rivals.
The break has offered one positive for some of the Gunners' first-team players who have struggled for game time in recent weeks. Emile Smith Rowe has been plagued by various injury problems this season, failing to start a single match in the league this term.
