£52m Arsenal ace proved he is the answer for Mikel Arteta’s latest issue

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Arsenal suffered a painful defeat to Liverpool at Anfield, but it wasn’t all negative for Mikel Arteta and his side.

There were difficulties in crafting clear-cut chances, as Jamie Carragher slammed Arsenal’s creativity during the match.

Some of that could be down to the options available to Mikel Arteta, as Eberechi Eze and Martin Odegaard were left on the bench, while Bukayo Saka was injured for the key clash.

While it was a blunt attack for Arsenal, one star did stand out and suggested that he could be the answer to the frontline injury concerns.

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Noni Madueke proved he could cover Bukayo Saka in Arsenal defeat to Liverpool

While Arsenal’s defeat to Liverpool brought up some familiar feelings surrounding the lack of creativity, Noni Madueke did prove to be one main positive for the team.

The winger took up a role on the right wing, replacing the huge presence left by Saka, who is set to miss a few weeks of action through a hamstring injury.

Madueke’s debut came on the left flank, where he struggled, but the move to the right saw him look much more comfortable.

The £52 million man caused plenty of problems for Milos Kerkez, as he beat him in several foot races, turning him inside and out in the process.

While it didn’t result in a goal or an assist for the star, Madueke certainly showed he can fill in for Saka in the meantime.

His directness was key, as he looked like a player willing to take a risk in a game where the Gunners didn’t seem to take many.

As he grows in confidence, his performances may only improve, as a big run of games is coming up.

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Which games Noni Madueke could play ahead of Bukayo Saka in

Saka’s hamstring injury is set to keep him out for four weeks, which is a relief for Arsenal, as there were fears that it could be longer.

The Gunners have an international break coming up, which gives them two weeks to allow for the winger to recover and return to action.

Mikel Arteta may opt against throwing Saka straight back into action, as he has now suffered two hamstring issues in a matter of months.

That means we are likely to see Madueke start on the right against Nottingham Forest and possibly Manchester City, before Saka is expected to return against Newcastle.

The winger may be kept safe from action in the meantime, for what is a long season ahead.

That means Madueke must step up in the coming weeks, with some tough clashes coming up.