Arteta Warns Injury Crisis Could Undermine Arsenal's Silverware Quest
Mikel Arteta has voiced fears that his team's pursuit for titles this season is being threatened by a concerning circle of injuries and a relentless schedule.
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Star player Declan Rice did not travel for the midweek trip to Belgium due to illness. In addition, forward Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain unavailable.
There was, however, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian forward added to their European squad. He replaces the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an foot injury.
"Practice, no because we don't have time to train. But obviously the fact that you are missing players, you are loading other players more, there's a consequence to that and it's a really dangerous circle."
Dowman's issue is the latest in a long list of injuries for the North London side. Since the start of last season, they have recorded 95 injuries, the second-most total in the Premier League.
Extended Absentees
- Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to return until 2025.
- Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to recover from surgery and "needs more time," according to the manager.
Arteta dismissed the suggestion that training intensity were to blame, citing a shortage of time for sessions. He highlighted the pressure on fit players, some of whom have played over 150 matches in two years.
Recruitment Plans
Despite a significant summer spend exceeding £250 million, Arteta stated the team is not planning to enter the winter transfer market.
"Right now we're just concentrating on getting the players back and with luck it will be a question of weeks," he said. "It's clear how crucial those weeks are going to be."
Looking Ahead
The team experienced their initial defeat in 18 games at the weekend, cutting their lead at the top of the league to two points.
Focus now shifts to the European stage, where a sixth group-stage win would all but guarantee a top-eight finish. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could create history by scoring in a fifth consecutive Champions League match.
"The team is disappointed with the outcome, but we have to keep going," Martinelli stated. "It's not like all is going badly because we lost one game. So we stick together."
