Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is set to miss Wednesday night's huge clash against Manchester City with a muscular injury.
The Gunners welcome the reigning champions to the Emirates Stadium sitting three points ahead of them in the table, but knowing that they will be usurped at the top should City beat them.
Partey trained with his Gunners team-mates on Tuesday, but is expected to be missing from Mikel Arteta's squad for the game.
The 29-year-old has started 18 of Arsenal's 21 matches in the Premier League this season, and has been a key figure in their rise to the top of the table.
He could be replaced in the side by Jorginho, who signed from Chelsea on transfer deadline day.
Partey's injury is not thought to be a serious one, but it is considered severe enough for him to sit out the visit of Pep Guardiola's men.
With Mohamed Elneny also currently out for an extended period with what is described as a 'significant' knee injury, and fellow central midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga loaned to Crystal Palace until the end of the season, Arteta will hope to have Partey back available soon.
For now he joins Emile Smith Rowe, Reiss Nelson and Gabriel Jesus on the sidelines, with the Gunners suddenly feeling the strain having been able to pick a largely settled side all season.
Arteta's side go into the game having not won in their last three matches in all competitions, losing 1-0 to City in the FA Cup and by the same scoreline at Everton in the Premier League, and drawing 1-1 at home to Brentford on Saturday.
Despite those results though, Arteta has rejected the notion that teams have 'figured out' how to play against the Gunners.
"Every team is trying to work out what we do, the same that we do with every opponent (we face)," he said on Tuesday.
"When I look at the games, and what we produce in the games, I’m usually very satisfied with what happens.
"Sometimes we can do better because there are many factors that can determine that, but for sure we are always looking to evolve to be better, with the players we have, and put them in the best positions to win the games."
When asked about City's biggest threat, he said: "They as a team. What they have done in the last six years, they absolutely merit it - on the pitch and the way they play, the way they have competed and how they have gone through difficulties.
"For us, the challenge is to get to that level and we need to use that challenge and that energy to say ‘this is where we want to be.’ That is the level, and we are heading towards it."
