Arsenal’s Injury Woes Mount Ahead of Newcastle Carabao Cup Clash | OneFootball

Arsenal’s Injury Woes Pile Up as Arteta Faces Squad Balancing Act

Arsenal’s 1-1 draw against Brighton may have dented their Premier League title ambitions, but the Gunners have little time to dwell on the result. With a Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg clash against Newcastle United looming on Tuesday night, Mikel Arteta faces a mounting injury crisis that threatens to derail their season.

The latest setback at the Amex Stadium has added another name to the growing list of absentees, leaving Arteta grappling with how best to balance his squad amid a hectic fixture schedule.

Nwaneri’s Setback Adds to Arsenal’s Woes

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, the talented youngster who gave Arsenal the lead against Brighton, became the latest player to join the treatment room. Forced off at half-time with muscular issues, Nwaneri was replaced by Gabriel Martinelli in a move that highlights Arsenal’s increasing reliance on their squad depth.

Speaking after the game, Arteta confirmed the concerning news:

“Really bad news because I think we’ve lost him (Nwaneri), we had to take him off at half-time with some muscular issues.”

With no clear timeline for Nwaneri’s return, Arsenal’s depth will be tested further in the coming weeks. Potential return date: Unknown.

Kai Havertz’s Battle with Illness

Adding to Arteta’s selection headaches, Kai Havertz has struggled to shake off an illness that saw him miss the New Year’s Day victory over Brentford. Despite efforts to bring him back into the fold, Havertz was left out of the squad for the Brighton clash.

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Arteta explained the situation:

“Kai tried but he was really very honest and said, ‘I can’t even travel, I’m not feeling good at all.’ We tried yesterday to see if he could train and he tried his best, but he wasn’t able to do that.”

Potential return date: Unknown.

Saka’s Hamstring Nightmare

Perhaps the biggest blow for Arsenal came with Bukayo Saka’s injury. The winger was forced off during the first half of the 5-1 thrashing of Crystal Palace and left Selhurst Park on crutches. Initially, there were fears he would be sidelined until March, and Arteta’s update confirmed the worst.

“He had a procedure. Everything went well, but unfortunately he will be out for many, many weeks,” said Arteta.

“I said many weeks, so I think it will be more than two months. I don’t know exactly how much longer. It will depend on how the scar tissue starts to heal, the first week or so, the mobility of that. Let’s see, it’s very difficult to say.”

Potential return date: Unknown, March at the earliest.

Saka’s absence was initially compounded by a knee injury suffered by Raheem Sterling, who had been tipped to fill in on the right wing. While Sterling’s recovery is progressing, he remains out of action.

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Arteta shared some encouraging news about Sterling’s rehabilitation:

“I think he is starting to do some stuff on the pitch. So, that’s great news. As quick as possible, we want him available. Let’s see how he progresses next week and then see if we can get him available for the following week.”

Potential return date: Unknown, potentially early January.

Tomiyasu’s Long Road to Recovery

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remains another long-term absentee for Arsenal, having sustained a knee injury during pre-season and suffering a fresh setback after a brief cameo against Southampton in October. The Japanese defender has been sidelined since, with Arteta emphasising the need for patience.

“He’s gonna be away now for a few weeks to continue with his treatment and change his environment a bit,” Arteta revealed last month.

“Physiologically, it has been really tough for him. He’s a guy that will work 24 hours to be fit, and he feels terrible being out.”

Tomiyasu’s situation is further complicated by surgery he underwent in November. Arteta remains hopeful that the defender’s return isn’t too far away.

“It might be a possibility, but obviously he hasn’t done anything yet with the team. The knee looks good; he has reacted really well the first few weeks. Everything is going smoothly, and now he needs to start to load and that knee needs to start to get through many more things that, up to now, he hasn’t been able to do. But hopefully, he’s good.

“His work ethic is unbelievable. Naturally, he’s a really gifted player, so I’m very positive that we’re going to have him quite early — but I don’t know when.”

Potential return date: Unknown.

Arteta’s Dilemma

As Arsenal prepare to host Newcastle in the Carabao Cup semi-final, Arteta faces the challenge of managing his squad through an unforgiving schedule. Balancing the demands of domestic and European competitions is never straightforward, but the spate of injuries has intensified the task.

With Saka, Havertz, Nwaneri, Sterling, and Tomiyasu all sidelined, the pressure mounts on the remaining fit players to step up. Arsenal’s ability to navigate this critical period will be crucial in determining the success of their campaign.

Arteta’s adaptability will be tested, but with the right approach, Arsenal could emerge stronger on the other side of this injury crisis.