Mikel Arteta has said he is “praying” for Arsenal to avoid injury setbacks following their 1-1 Premier League draw to Chelsea.
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Arteta “praying” for injury-free Arsenal team
Arsenal recently faced a setback, as Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka sustained injuries during their match against Chelsea.
Rice played through a broken toe, which he sustained a week earlier at Newcastle.
On the other hand, Saka limped off nine minutes from time at Stamford Bridge with an unspecified injury.
Meanwhile, Martin Odegaard started his first Arsenal game since August 31 after picking up an ankle injury on international duty with Norway.
Gabriel Martinelli also made his return after suffering a calf strain while away with Brazil last month.
“What I’m praying is that after the international break we have the team fully physically equipped. That they are available and that they are fit because it’s been a nightmare for eight weeks,” Arteta said.
“Doubt after doubt, issue after issue, not only with the ones that are not able to play, but with the ones who are able to play only for certain moments and not able to play.”
“So I’m just asking that, because the desire the team has and how much we want it there’s no question. It’s going to come. We just need that on our side to be more consistent.”
Rice and Saka’s status
The availability of Rice and Saka remains uncertain for England, who are set to face Greece and the Republic of Ireland in UEFA Nations League matches.
“It doesn’t look good, because for two players of that importance to tell you they cannot continue in the game, obviously it’s not good news,” Arteta said.
“[They are] two players that just came off, I don’t know whether to expect them to be fit because if [they are] they don’t come off,” he said.
“That’s not very much like us”
Martinelli opened the scoring on the hour mark with a close-range finish.
However, Pedro Neto converted an equalizer Chelsea with a 20-yard drive ten minutes later.
Arteta lamented Arsenal’s inability to close out games, as they now sit nine points behind league leaders Liverpool.
“That’s not very much like us,” he said. “I think today in that sense with the way we conceded, we have to fault ourselves.”
“That’s something that we have to do better, especially when you’re not scoring two or three goals and, at the moment, we are not.”
