Mikel Arteta will miss the game with Manchester City on New Year's Day after testing positive for Covid-19, meaning Steve Round and Albert Stuivenberg will take over the team at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta goes into 2022 with his position at the club as solid as it has been at any stage in his tenure in charge.
The former midfielder has built an exciting young team, played a part in some fine signings and has made some big decisions, most notably those featuring the position of former captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
But most crucially, the Gunners are in the top four and well in the race to secure Champions League football for next season.
Next up will be a major test though, as they welcome the Premier League leaders Manchester City to the Emirates Stadium
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Arteta will not be in the dugout at the Emirates for the visit of City, as Arsenal have confirmed the head coach is self isolating with Covid-19.
Given the form of the team and Arteta's links with City - he worked as an assistant to Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium - you suspect missing the match will be a big blow for the Gunners boss.
In their 5-0 win over Norwich City on Boxing Day, the Gunners were without Calum Chambers, Cedric Soares, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ainsley Maitland-Niles after they returned positive tests.
Arteta also tested positive for Covid-19 in March 2020, just before football was paused due to the spread of the virus.
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Arteta's assistants profiled
With Arteta poised to miss the clash with City, it will be one of his assistant coaches taking charge of the team on the day.
That will be nothing new in the Premier League, with Aston Villa and Crystal Palace managers Steven Gerrard and Patrick Vieira having to hand over to their coaching staff after positive tests.
It would appear the two assistant managers Steve Round and Albert Stuivenberg will oversee the team in the coming days and in north London this week.
Round is an experienced coach, working alongside a number of managers at different clubs in England, including Middlesbrough, Everton and Manchester United. Stuivenberg also worked with United, as well as the Wales national team.
Arsenal record remains intact
Liverpool's 1-0 loss to Leicester City on Tuesday in the Premier League not only damaged the title hopes of Jurgen Klopp's side, it ensured a historic Arsenal record will stay intact.
The dogged defensive performance at the King Power stadium from Leicester meant they were the first team to keep a clean sheet against the Reds all season in the Premier League.
The blank means Arsenal's record from the 2001-02 season will be unmatched for another season too, as that double-winning outfit found the net in all of their top-flight fixtures that term.
That season saw the Gunners finish top of the Premier League, seven points clear of Liverpool in second. Manager Arsene Wenger had stellar forwards to call upon in the form of Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp, plus the creative talents of Robert Pires ---------- Daily Mail.
