Mikel Arteta is worried about Arsenal’s injury woes, as defender Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurrien Timber sustained injuries.
Click here for more football news and updates.
Check out M88 Mansion’s best offers here.
Arteta “worried” by his player’s injury woes
The Gunners moved within nine points of Premier League leaders Liverpool with a 2-1 victory over Fulham at Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Merino scored the opener before Bukayo Saka, making his first appearance in 101 days following hamstring surgery, found the net in the 73rd minute—just seven minutes after entering as a substitute.
Arsenal’s win was marred by the sight of Gabriel limping off early in the first half with a hamstring problem.
Meanwhile, Timber received treatment shortly afterward but remained on the field until the 77th minute.
Arsenal will visit Everton on Saturday before hosting Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final next Tuesday.
“The downside is Gabi and Jurrien,” said Arteta, who was “worried” about their injuries.
“We don’t know how they’re going to be. We’ll be assessing them tomorrow to understand better how we are with those two. There are two players in this team that never want to come off and it’s those two, probably. Gabi felt something in his hamstring. Jurriën was already struggling very early in the game. He managed to continue [but] at some point he couldn’t.
Another injury setback
Arsenal are also without forwards Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, who have been ruled out for the rest of the campaign.
Meanwhile, Martin Odegaard, Ben White, and Gabriel Martinelli have missed significant time due to injuries.
Riccardo Calafiori also suffered a knee injury while on international duty with Italy.
Arteta said he had never known another season like this one in his career.
“No, unfortunately, especially because as well there have been some big, big players in very, very critical positions and affecting the whole line,” he said.
“You’re scratching your head. I know in the next few games, [it will be] the same.”
“But at the same time, it’s been a great learning experience for us and all the coaches and staff to manage that situation. At the end, the players are going to react to how we react to it.”
“If you start to feel sorry for yourself and say, ‘ah, it’s impossible how are we going to do this?’ It will be impossible, but these boys, they don’t give you the reason to act like that.”
