Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is facing a mounting injury crisis after 11 of his players withdrew from international duty during the recent break. The withdrawals, which followed the club's Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City, have raised concerns ahead of a demanding run-in that includes the FA Cup and Champions League.
Among those to pull out were William Saliba (left ankle), Jurriën Timber (groin), Gabriel Magalhães (groin), Leandro Trossard, Eberechi Eze (calf), and captain Martin Ødegaard (knee). Noni Madueke and Piero Hincapié also limped out of friendlies for England and Ecuador respectively, with Madueke seen in a knee brace and Hincapié suspected of a muscle injury. Both are expected to miss Saturday's FA Cup trip to Southampton.
Arteta had expressed his unease about the international break, particularly given the club's history of key players picking up injuries on duty. He stated before the Everton match that he would communicate with international managers to 'make the right decisions.' The withdrawals have drawn comparisons to Sir Alex Ferguson's era at Manchester United, where Ferguson famously described internationals as 'a waste of time.'
Thomas Tuchel insisted Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice had genuine issues after they were given the first week off from England duty, with their heavy workload over recent seasons raising concerns. Martín Zubimendi also withdrew due to left knee pain, having played more Premier League minutes than any other Arsenal player this season. Arteta has been reluctant to use Christian Nørgaard as a deputy in big games, with the Dane yet to start a top-flight match since joining from Brentford.
With the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Sporting Lisbon approaching, Arteta will be hoping for positive news on the severity of the injuries. The international break has left his squad depth severely tested.
