Arteta praises Arsenal squad for overcoming this season’s injury woes | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta stated that the squad full of options at Arsenal has helped the Premier League leader deal with its “worst” sequence of injuries, as the coach prepares for Wednesday's game against Brentford.

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Gabriel Jesus, Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, and Martin Odegaard have recently returned from injury, but Gabriel Magalhães and Kai Havertz are still expected to be out for a few weeks.

Winger Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba are doubtful for the match against Brentford, but the Arsenal coach said on Tuesday that he hopes to have them back “in a few days.”

Arsenal was also heavily affected by injuries last season, and the lack of attacking options was cited as one of the reasons the team could not compete with Liverpool for the Premier League title.

“Worst” phase of injuries, but with lessons

“This season has been the worst in some aspects, especially in attack, and now with what's happening in the defensive line,” Arteta told reporters.

“But we have learned and managed to build a much more reliable squad, with more options.

“We also learned from the past that we need to use players in different positions, and they need to be able to fulfill different roles if we want to compete at this level — and the example of Mikel (Merino) is probably the best of all.”

Versatility and reinforcements in the market

The Spanish midfielder, who arrived from Real Sociedad in 2024, was frequently used as a forward last season, scoring nine goals in all competitions.

In the summer transfer window, Arsenal made significant reinforcements, bringing in Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Cristhian Mosquera, Eberechi Eze, Madueke, and Gyokeres.

These additional resources have given Arteta more options, and the team has opened a five-point lead over Manchester City, in second place, at the top of the Premier League.

Situation of Saliba and Trossard

Saliba missed the 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Sunday after suffering a knock in training.

“He had a little discomfort, so I think it will be a matter of days. We'll see if he can be available tomorrow (against Brentford),” said Arteta.

Trossard was another player who missed the game at Stamford Bridge, but Arteta stated that the winger should also return “in a matter of days.”

Appeal to the fans at Emirates

Arteta called on fans at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday to support his team intensely against tenth-placed Brentford.

“Everyone at the Emirates, once again, to beat Brentford,” he said. “It's vital, it's huge.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.