Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard set an unwanted Premier League record as the Gunners signed off for the international break with a 2-0 win over West Ham United.
Goals from Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka sealed victory against the Hammers as Mikel Arteta's team moved to the top of the EPL rankings.
Liverpool's defeat to Chelsea ensured Arteta's charges maintained their one-point lead over the defending champions but it came at a cost for the Basque coach.
Odegaard was forced off injured on the half-hour mark - and became the first player in Premier League history to be substituted before half-time in three consecutive starts - and Arteta's post-match prognosis was one of concern.
"He had a clash knee-to-knee and immediately he was uncomfortable. I spoke to him, he’s not positive about it. He’s got a brace on, we’ll have to wait and see from the doctors," he said.
"We haven’t been very lucky with him this season."
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Arteta also confirmed a back issue for Rice - ahead of joining up with England's squad in the coming days - and he will be assessed in the next 48 hours.
Odegaard's setback comes as part of his wider miserable start to the campaign, with a previous back injury restricting him to to just four starts, and he's completed 90 minutes just once.
The 26-year-old was controversially called up for Norway's September games, before being immediately injured on his return to Arsenal, and reports from his native country indicate he will remain in Stale Solbakken's squad.
"He [Solbakken] understands what's happening. For now, I think he thinks it's going well, and Odegaard will be ready, but it will be exciting to hear what reports come from the medical team in the next few days," expert Carl-Erik Torp told Norwegian outlet NRK.
Norway's September games featured a 1-0 friendly win over Finland and an incredible 11-1 opening 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier win over Moldova.
They face Israel in a World Cup Qualifier on October 11, before a friendly against New Zealand in Oslo three days later.
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