Arsenal's anguish over Manchester United transfer swoop increased during crazy 24 hours

Arsenal fans spent most of Wednesday fretting about their lack of a striker for the remainder of this season, then rejoiced in the evening as Everton's dramatic Merseyside derby draw offered them a glimmer of hope in the Premier League title race.

But the biggest impediment to closing Liverpool's seven-point lead is even more obvious now than a week ago. Arsenal looked underpowered with Kai Havertz leading the line. Now the German is out for the rest of the season, and it's difficult to see where the goals will come from.

The Gunners decided against signing a striker in January, a decision that has backfired spectacularly within 10 days of the window closing. Leandro Trossard might be the man to lead the line now, but that doesn't exactly scream 'title winners'.

Those Arsenal fans scrolling social media after the chaos at Goodison Park might have been in for a reminder of one that got away, however. Events at Leigh Sports Village were never going to compete for national attention with the last Merseyside derby at Everton's historic home, but for Arsenal, they could have been just as significant.

Promoting youth has been a theme of their season under Mikel Arteta, with Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri making an impact in the first team. If they had agreed terms with Chido Obi-Martin in the summer, the 17-year-old striker would surely be in the picture now.

Rather than plundering a hat-trick against Chelsea for Manchester United's Under-18s in the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup, he would be in Dubai. When Havertz tore his hamstring in training this week, his chance would surely have arrived.

Instead, Obi-Martin is knocking on the door for a United debut. At Arsenal, he might have played because they have no strikers.