Nicklas Bendtner is set for "weeks" on the sidelines with an ankle injury leaving Premier League leaders Arsenal with a striker shortage.
The Denmark international came off the substitutes bench to score the opener in the Gunners' 2-0 win over Cardiff but sprained his ankle in the process.
Top scorer Olivier Giroud missed the clash with an ankle injury.
"It shows we are short," said boss Arsene Wenger, with the transfer window now open.
The Arsenal manager declined to be drawn on whether he would be targeting a striker this month, with Bendtner almost certain to miss Saturday's FA Cup third round tie at home to Tottenham, and Giroud a serious doubt.
Wenger said: "He [Bendtner] sprained his ankle, [for] how long we don't know but it looks weeks.
"We have Lukas Podolski and Theo Walcott who can play striker but over the longer period we want more specialists to play through the middle.
"With two players injured it is difficult. Don't be too quick at the moment, we will just say we have two centre forwards injured."
Bendtner, 25, scored on his first Premier League start for Arsenal since 5 March 2011, in the 2-0 win over Hull in early December. His last Premier League goal for the Gunners before that was against Wigan on 29 December, 2010.
But he has now featured as a substitute in four games since, scoring a vital opener with just two minutes remaining against Cardiff on Wednesday, leaving Arsenal anxiously waiting news of the seriousness of his injury.
Arsenal were also missing Aaron Ramsey (thigh), Mesut Ozil (shoulder), Kieran Gibbs (calf) and Tomas Rosicky (calf) with injuries.
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