Arsenal have suffered 93 injuries since the start of last season – the second-highest in the Premier League – with Mikel Arteta explaining the reasons behind the Gunners’ mounting fitness crisis
Mikel Arteta has refused to blame the Arsenal medical staff for his team having the second-highest number of injuries in the Premier League since the start of last season. Only Brighton and Hove Albion have suffered more injuries, with 97, compared to Arsenal’s 93 over the past 18 months.
Leandro Trossard, a player signed from Brighton, is one of the latest casualties. Cristhian Mosquera, Gabriel Magalhaes, Kai Havertz and William Saliba are also missing their Champions League match against Club Brugge.
Arteta has now addressed their absences over the last 18 months. When asked if it was bad luck or whether there was a reason behind the injuries, he said: “I think you have to separate the kind of injuries that they are.
READ MORE: Arsenal suffer triple injury blow as Mikel Arteta’s worst fears confirmedREAD MORE: UEFA rules leaves Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman in limbo after Mikel Arteta decision
“Some of them have been long-term and acute injuries, especially with some of the key players, that keep you out for a lot of days. It’s something that we are constantly looking at.
“As well, we have played a lot of games with a lot of players missing. That puts a lot of stress and then more injuries.
“But we are on it, and I’m really happy with what we’re doing in terms of the medical stuff and everything that we are trying to bring together. Sometimes, as well, we need some things to go on our side.”
Of the 93 injuries, 26 have occurred this season. Only newly promoted Leeds United have more, with 28, while last weekend’s opponents, Aston Villa, also have 26.
More than half of the league have endured over 20, with Crystal Palace third on 25. Chelsea have two remaining, while Brighton, Liverpool, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are all tied on 22.
Three of those clubs are also amongst the five teams with over 80 since the beginning of last season. Spurs trail Arsenal by just one on 87, with Villa on 83 and Newcastle three adrift.
For the Gunners, Ben White, Bukayo Saka, Christian Norgaard, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke, Piero Hincapie and Viktor Gyokeres have all dealt with injuries. Several players, particularly Odegaard and Trossard, have suffered multiple problems.
Max Dowman will now also be unavailable. Arteta has expressed his exasperation with these problems.
“Losing Max again, it’s obviously not ideal, with Leo, who is just coming back, that we have to manage the minutes. Willy [Saliba] is still not there.
“We’ve not got Big Gabi [Magalhaes], and we have other players that they could only play certain minutes. Like, for example, Riccy [Calafiori] the other day.
“But it’s a situation that we have managed since the beginning of the season. We are in December, so it’s been almost five months in a remarkable way, and we’re going to continue.”
