An injury ravaged Arsenal side overcame Leicester City with two goals from substitute Mikel Merino to keep the pressure on Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Mikel Arteta's attacking options were severely limited going into the clash with top goalscorer Kai Havertz's hamstring injury during a winter training camp in Dubai ruling him out for the season, adding to the absences of talisman Bukayo Saka, striker Gabriel Jesus and winger Gabriel Martinelli.
That meant the second-placed Gunners had little choice but to deploy a front three of youngster Ethan Nwaneri, out of form Raheem Sterling and the inconsistent Leandro Trossard. A far from ideal situation as they looked to try and reduce Liverpool's seven-point lead at the top of the table.
There was some positive news on the injury front, with defender Ben White returning to a matchday squad for the first time since November. The right-back has been a strong creative outlet for Arsenal in the past, but was on the substitutes bench.
Leicester meanwhile are fighting for survival under manager Ruud Van Nistelrooy and started the game in 18th in the table. Here's what Arteta learned at the King Power Stadium, including his masterstroke of a substitution.
Arsenal's captain has been the team's creator in chief in his playmaking role for many years. But the 26-year-old has contributed just two goals and three assists in the league this campaign.
With the Gunners looking pretty toothless thanks to their absences in attack for the majority of this contest, the onus is on Odegaard to offer more when on the ball. He saw plenty of it against the Foxes, but too often wasn't able to make a telling contribution.
Arteta needs to find a way to inject some confidence and belief back into one of his world class performers if they are to sustain this title challenge. Because there's no doubt he has the ability, as he showed in his part during the build up to Arsenal's second goal. But he is capable of much more.
At just 17-years-old, Ethan Nwaneri has been thrust into the limelight at Arsenal. But not just out of necessity - this youngster has the talent to merit a place in the Gunners starting line-up, even without injuries affording him the opportunity.
He was a constant threat at the King Power Stadium, a menacing presence for the home side whenever he received the ball, and twice struck the woodwork, skimming the cross bar with one effort and smashing the post with another, before playing a great cross for Mikel Merino to grab the all important opening goal for Arsenal.
Club legend Martin Keown on punditry duties for TNT Sports said it was a cross worthy of Saka - in Arsenal circles there isn't much higher praise - and it genuinely does look like the Gunners and England could have another superstar on their hands.
Raheem Sterling was once one of the league's most exciting players - a man who season after season delivered thrilling performances for Manchester City after an electrifying start to his career with Liverpool. And while he has always been an erratic finisher, for three seasons in a row at the Citizens he registered 18, 17 and 20 goals. Just what Arsenal need right now.
However, after being bombed out by Pep Guardiola he disappointed at Chelsea and now on loan at Arsenal his chances have been few and far between. Judging on today's evidence, you can see why Arteta has been reluctant to use him.
The 30-year-old was beaten to the ball far too easily, rarely looked like troubling the Foxes defence, and his only real involvement of note was when he went down in the box under a challenge from Wilfred Ndidi in the second half that may have resulted in a penalty, but on second look he tumbled too easily to the turf.
Sterling was hauled off by his manager on 68 minutes, with Mikel Merino taking his place - a big decision that paid rich dividends for Arsenal.
There had been talk before the game that defensive midfielder Mikel Merino could be deployed as a makeshift striker. And when he came off the bench, he used his height, strength and heading ability to great effect, clinching the all important opening goal for the Gunners.
The Spaniard has been something of a bit part player for Arsenal this season, his progress hampered by injury, but he is a quality player with huge experience. And his versatility was evident for all to see when he assumed the role of a number 9 and scored a potentially massive goal in the Premier League title race with a great header.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, but Merino assuming a makeshift centre forward role during this injury crisis clearly isn't as outlandish an idea as some may have thought. Because not long after bagging one goal, he added a second.
Merino - who admitted afterwards he had never played up front before but had discussed the role in detail with his manager - capitalised on a fine cross from Trossard to double his tally this season from two to four with an unnerving finish at the back post, after timing his run perfectly to stay onside.
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