Arsenal have been dealt a blow after Alexandre Lacazette tested positive for Covid-19.

The striker missed training this week and he was duly left out of the squad for Saturday’s trip to Southampton, with Eddie Nketiah chosen to lead the line instead.

The news is a blow to Arsenal, who have already been hit by injuries to Kieran Tierney, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Thomas Partey.

The Gunners face Chelsea and Manchester United next week and Lacazette would now seemingly be in a race against time to play in one of those games.

Lacazette has struggled for form recently, but he is a key figure in the Arsenal dressing room and has become captain following the departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Barcelona.

Nketiah was chosen to lead the line against Southampton, but Mikel Arteta could deploy Emile Smith Rowe, who starts on the bencha at St Mary’s, or Gabriel Martinelli as a No9 if needed in the coming days.