[2 days later]
The morning of the game had a strange quietness about it.
When Arsenal's squad list dropped, social media was already buzzing.
Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus — all the usual names were there.
But as expected, Izan's wasn't.
There was no fanfare about it anymore.
People had accepted that, being cleared to walk didn't mean he could start running immediately, and they would rather lose this season than lose for the upcoming years.
Still, it felt unusual, almost eerie, to see the team sheet without him.
As the time for the game approached, the camera followed Arsenal's coach as it wound its way into Selhurst Park, the red and white tracksuits spilling out into the stadium tunnels.
Fans behind the barriers pressed up, chanting, waving scarves, trying to catch glimpses.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Hampstead, the atmosphere couldn't have been more different.
Inside Izan's house, the home theatre was alive with the pre-match buildup.
