Mikel Arteta has reportedly brought in a close ally to investigate why Arsenal have been so heavily impacted by injuries this season. The Gunners have seen key players sidelined throughout the campaign, potentially jeopardising their Premier League title challenge.
Key Players Sidelined
Arsenal will be without Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber for their crucial match against Fulham on Saturday evening, while captain Martin Odegaard is also a doubt. Unavailability has hampered Arteta's selection all season as they chase a first league title in 22 years while competing on other fronts.
Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Riccardo Calafiori, and Mikel Merino are among those who have suffered significant injuries this season. Of 22 outfield players, only Martin Zubimendi and Myles Lewis-Skelly have avoided injury during the 2025/26 campaign.
Staggering Injury Statistics
According to Transfermarkt, Arsenal players have missed a cumulative total of 262 matches this season. Whether this costs them the title or not, Arteta is keen to understand the issue and has invited Spanish physio Joaquin Acedo to conduct a review.
The Telegraph reports tension behind the scenes at Arsenal over their injury record. Arteta is a friend of Acedo, who is based in Cadiz, and he has become a regular presence at the London Colney training ground this season, having been invited previously last season.
Havertz exemplifies the problem. The German forward is out with a groin problem after spending four months on the sidelines with a knee injury picked up on the opening day. He also needed surgery on a hamstring injury sustained in February 2025 that kept him out for three months, restricting him to just 20 appearances this season.
Asked about Havertz on Friday, Arteta said: "He's been a huge miss. We're talking about one of the most important attacking players that we have, and he's been out for seven or eight months. He's not been the only one, unfortunately, with long-term injuries. The team has shown an incredible capacity to overcome these scenarios and still be very competitive."
Earlier this year, Arteta touched on the wider issue: "Some of them have been long-term and acute injuries, especially with key players. It's something we are constantly looking at. We have played a lot of games with many players missing. That creates a lot of stress and then more injuries. We are on it, and I'm really happy with what we are doing in terms of the medical staff and everything we are trying to do together."
