Arteta’s 15-word Arsenal revelation to terrify Tottenham and Premier League rivals | OneFootball

Arsenal are sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League with a six-point cushion and have a 100 per cent record in the Champions League, and 15 words from Mikel Arteta in his press conference ahead of their clash with Sunderland on Saturday will strike further fear in the hearts of their rivals, with Tottenham set to be the canaries down the Gunners terror mine.

There was something of a cryptic start to Arteta’s presser as he went from insisting “nobody new that can join the squad” to saying he “cannot confirm” that Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard will miss the game against the high-flying Black Cats.

They’ve coped perfectly well without some or all of those players in games so far this season, seemingly on cruise control to win the Premier League and provide a serious challenge for further honours. What would previously have been dubbed an injury crisis and consistently cited as excuse for poor results is now something that can be brushed off as a slight irritation as the extraordinary strength in depth Arteta can count on pays dividends.

When asked about that quintet’s possible return for the North London Derby after the international break, Arteta uttered 15 terrifying words.

Havertz hasn’t featured since the opening day victory over Manchester United having undergone minor surgery on his knee. An often maligned stick to beat Arsenal and Arteta with, the Germany international got 15 goals and five assists for the Gunners last term and offers them something entirely different to Gyokeres.

The big-money summer signing has been labelled a ‘flat-track bully’ this season and while the Tottenham clash may come too soon for a Havertz start, it’s in those sorts of games, on bumpier roads, that the former Chelsea star could prove critical for Arteta and Arsenal.

Odegaard has started just five of Arsenal’s 16 games so far and while Eberechi Eze has proven to be a more than useful stand-in, the Gunners’ captain’s outstanding display in their 2-0 win over Olympiacos showcased his very different skillset, as he cut the Greek side to shreds through his expert passing and his ability to find space where there doesn’t appear to be any.

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Martinelli has missed the last three games with a groin problem but has played like a man with a point to prove this season – particularly in the Champions League with three goals and an assist in three games – after a summer of speculation over his future and links with several high-profile left wingers to replace him.

And Madueke responded to the absurd #NOTOMADUEKE petition from Arsenal fans in the summer with some hugely promising performances for both Arsenal and England, looking like a perfectly serviceable backup for Bukayo Saka, before being struck down with a knee injury in September to force him out for the last ten games.

With Gabriel Jesus also back on the grass for the first time since January, Arteta could have full use of his ludicrously deep and talented squad for the packed winter schedule, which offers the grim and very real possibility that we’ve not seen anything like the peak of this dominant Arsenal side yet.