Mikel Arteta has declared that Arsenal are now operating in 'survival mode' after a fresh wave of injuries struck his squad just moments before a tense 2-1 Premier League victory over Brighton & Hove Albion.
Defensive Crisis Deepens Before Kick-Off
The Gunners' defensive resources were stretched to the limit ahead of the crucial match at the Emirates Stadium. First, Jurrien Timber was ruled out after picking up an injury in training on Friday. The situation worsened dramatically during the warm-up, when summer signing Riccardo Calafiori pulled up and had to be replaced in the starting line-up by youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly.
These new setbacks added to an existing injury list that already included defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Ben White, leaving Arteta with severely limited options at the back.
Rice Steps Up in Unfamiliar Role
Faced with this emergency, Arteta made a bold tactical switch, asking midfield linchpin Declan Rice to slot in at right-back. The England international embraced the challenge, delivering a solid and composed performance to help his team secure a vital three points.
"You speak to Declan and tell him he needs to play as a right wing-back, and he said, 'Okay, I'm up for a challenge, I'm going to do my best'," Arteta revealed. "The attitude is great to witness."
A Nervy Finish at the Emirates
The result, combined with Manchester City's earlier victory over Nottingham Forest, sent Arsenal back to the top of the Premier League table by two points. However, the win was far from straightforward.
After establishing a 2-0 lead and appearing comfortable, Arsenal faced a anxious finale after Diego Gomez's strike for Brighton. Seagulls substitute Yankuba Minteh then forced a magnificent late save from goalkeeper David Raya as the north London club clung on for the win.
Arteta admitted his side should have killed the game off earlier, stating: "The margin should have been much bigger. The amount of situations, chances, open chances that we generated... it should never be 2-1, but that's the Premier League."
Praising his squad's resilience, the manager concluded: "We have a lot of issues, and we're dealing with it in an incredible way. Declan has to play as a full-back and you see the performance that he put in. That's the spirit and that's how much our players want it."
