Mikel Arteta has acknowledged that an increasing number of injuries could jeopardize Arsenal’s quest for silverware this season.
Arsenal secured their progression to the fifth round of the FA Cup with a commanding 4-0 victory over League One side Wigan at the Emirates Stadium.
However, the team faced setbacks as Riccardo Calafiori picked up an injury during the warm-up and was unable to participate, while Ben White had to be substituted in the second half.
Captain Martin Odegaard did not play at all after sustaining an injury in Arsenal’s previous match, a 1-1 draw against Brentford.
Kai Havertz is expected to be sidelined for at least the rest of the month, and Mikel Merino is anticipated to miss the remainder of the season following foot surgery.
When asked about the thinning squad, Arteta responded: “Yes. We initially had issues with our strikers, then it was our defenders, and now it’s our midfielders getting injured.”
“We are managing the situation, but we urgently need players back fit—not just for depth, but for the tactical variety they provide against different opponents. The sooner they return, the better it will be.”
Currently, Arsenal sits four points ahead at the top of the Premier League and will visit Wolves at Molineux on Wednesday, followed by a crucial north London derby against Tottenham next weekend.
In this match, Arsenal easily advanced to the fifth round, keeping their hopes of achieving an unprecedented quadruple alive. Goals from Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, Jack Hunt’s own goal, and Gabriel Jesus accounted for all four goals in a span of just 17 minutes during the first half.
Eberechi Eze, a £68 million ($92.6 million) high-profile signing from Crystal Palace, has faced scrutiny for his performances this season and was substituted at halftime during the draw at Brentford—his first league start in two months.
Nonetheless, he made a significant impact on Sunday, assisting Arsenal’s first two goals. Arteta remarked, “Players like him need these moments, particularly our creative talents. It’s essential for their confidence. I’m delighted with his performance. He made crucial contributions, and that positivity will help his mood and confidence moving forward.”
“The risks he took in the final third and the number of shots he attempted were positive, and that’s the level of performance we expect from him. He is already playing an important role, having featured in many matches, and he will keep doing so.”
Despite being managerless, Wigan managed to avoid a more significant defeat, considering that just a round earlier Manchester City scored ten against Exeter.
Wigan’s assistant coach Graham Barrow stated, “Things like this can happen. Manchester City demonstrated last round that they can score against anyone, and both City and Arsenal are the last teams you want to face right now.”
“You hope to draw a more favorable opponent, but as I always say, be careful what you wish for. We saw that today, and it was a relief for our players to show their resilience in the second half.”