Arteta responds to Kevin De Bruyne injury reports | OneFootball

Ahead of Arsenal’s critical Premier League showdown with Manchester City, Mikel Arteta has addressed the potential absence of City’s star player, Kevin De Bruyne.

De Bruyne is reportedly unlikely to feature on Sunday, having sustained a groin injury during City’s Champions League match against Inter Milan.

However, Arteta remains pragmatic about the situation, noting City’s squad depth.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 18: Kevin De Bruyne and Josko Gvardiol of Manchester City react during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD1 match between Manchester City and FC Internazionale Milano at City of Manchester Stadium on September 18, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

“No, because they have the option if he doesn’t play of Gundogan, Bernardo, Phil Foden, Kovacic,” Arteta said, emphasising City’s wealth of talent, “They’re all world-class players. We have a few missing as well and we have to adapt, but certainly those kinds of teams don’t rely on one individual which is extremely important for them.”

City’s extra day of rest

A topic that also surfaced during the press conference was Manchester City’s advantage of having an extra day of rest before Sunday’s fixture. City played at home on Wednesday, while Arsenal travelled to Italy for their Europa League clash against Atalanta on Thursday.

Arteta expressed some frustration but focused on preparing his squad.

BERGAMO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 19: David Raya of Arsenal FC celebrates with his team-mates after saving a penalty during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD1 match between Atalanta BC and Arsenal FC at Stadio di Bergamo on September 19, 2024 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“We wanted the same as them, we’re not getting it,” Arteta said, “so we have to adapt and make the most of the time that we have today and tomorrow and on the morning of the match to prepare in the best way to go there and win the game.”

LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 15: Gabriel of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammates William Saliba and Kai Havertz of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Arsenal FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 15, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Arteta’s comments reflected the challenging schedule his side has faced, playing three consecutive away games against Tottenham, Atalanta, and now City within a the space of a week.

Busy schedule takes its toll

Norway’s midfielder #10 Martin Odegaard and Austria’s defender #15 Philipp Lienhart vie for the ball during the UEFA Nations League, League B, Group B3 football match Norway vs Austria at the Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, Norway on September 9, 2024. (Photo by Terje Pedersen / NTB / AFP) / Norway OUT (Photo by TERJE PEDERSEN/NTB/AFP via Getty Images)

Arteta admitted this hectic week has been challenging from a coaching perspective, especially given the injuries Arsenal have suffered.

“We’ve been preparing for this since pre-season. Obviously, we knew the schedule and we knew that it’s extremely rare to play in these conditions with three massive away games in six days,” Arteta said, highlighting the mental and physical preparations the team has undergone.

Despite injuries to several key players, including Martin Odegaard, Arteta remains confident in his squad’s readiness to face City’s tactical challenges.

City’s depth and preparation

While Pep Guardiola will likely be without De Bruyne, he still has a deep squad to call upon. Ruben Dias emphasised City’s readiness, downplaying De Bruyne’s absence and focusing on City’s preparedness: “We want them to come, and we want to be the best,” Dias said.

Similarly, Josko Gvardiol, one of City’s new additions, noted that Guardiola is preparing the team with multiple tactical setups, depending on how Arsenal approaches the match.

City’s injury woes