Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has confirmed that captain Wayne Rooney has a knee injury.
While the under-pressure Dutchman has not put a timescale on how long his striker will be out for, it is understood that he could miss up to six weeks.
Van Gaal says it's a blow as Rooney has been in good goalscoring form recently, but it does open up a few options for the Reds.
It gives Anthony Martial room to get a run and develop at centre-forward. The young Frenchman will eventually make that position his own at his current rate of development, but for the most part he has often started out wide, particularly from the left where he has created three goals for Rooney this season - the best assists to goalscorer figure at Old Trafford for 2015-16.
Rooney may have an excellent goalscoring record against next Premier League opponents Arsenal over the years, but as the Gunners' often high line approaches, Martial's pace could be an asset if Van Gaal's decides to go against type and more direct with the balls from midfield into space and the channels.
Pace and tempo have been an issue for United in their up and mostly down performances of late, but a change of the prototype up front could change the dynamic until Rooney returns.
Another player who could benefit is Memphis Depay who thus far has done little to say he deserves a regular starting place.
But with Martial moving centrally in Rooney's absence, Memphis' preferred spot on the left side where he can cut in and fire could open up a second chance at momentum this season.
He certainly can only really improve on stats which leave him with two league goals and no assists for the season, which deeply disappointing for a player who found the net regularly for PSV - albeit in the lesser lights of the Dutch league.
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