Arsenal information: Mikel Arteta’s contemporary damage nightmare as plan for Gunners ace is in tatters
Arsenal are back in Premier League action on Thursday night when they travel to Brentford, with the Gunners looking to maintain their title challenge
Mikel Arteta has another injury to deal with at Arsenal
Arsenal head to Brentford on Thursday evening looking to keep up their charge for the Premier League crown.
The Gunners triumphed 2-0 in the reverse fixture back in early December, but both goalscorers from that night are currently sidelined. Mikel Merino found the net first that day, but a fractured foot is set to rule him out for the remainder of the campaign. Fellow goalscorer Bukayo Saka is expected to return sooner after picking up an injury during the warm-up before Arsenal’s victory over Leeds.
Mikel Arteta now has another major injury to contend with, before the Gunners face Wigan at home in the FA Cup. That’s followed by a double-header of away league matches at Wolves and Tottenham before they begin March with a home clash against Chelsea. Here’s all the latest news from the Emirates Stadium.
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Nwaneri strategy suffers setback
Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri strategy has crumbled in under a month, reports the Mirror.
The England Under-21 ace was loaned out to Marseille with the aim of gaining top-flight experience under Roberto De Zerbi, only for the Italian boss to depart the club by mutual agreement.
“Olympique de Marseille and Roberto De Zerbi, coach of the first team, have announced the end of their collaboration by mutual agreement,” the club said in a statement. “Following discussions between all stakeholders in the club’s management-the owner, president, director of football, and coach-it was decided to make a change at the helm of the first team.
“This was a difficult collective decision, taken after careful consideration in the best interests of the club, in order to respond to the sporting challenges of the end of the season. Olympique de Marseille would like to thank Roberto De Zerbi for his dedication, commitment, professionalism, and seriousness, which were particularly evident in the team’s second-place finish in the 2024/25 season. The club wishes him all the best for the rest of his career.”
Nwaneri netted once in three league appearances under De Zerbi and also featured once in the Coupe de France. With a fresh manager incoming and a shocking early exit from the Champions League, both the player and his parent club will need to hope matters improve despite the upheaval.
Trossard highlights team-mate
Arsenal winger Leandro Trossard has identified colleague Christian Norgaard as someone who consistently maintains high standards both on and off the field.
Norgaard, who arrived from Brentford during the summer, might make only his fifth league start for the Gunners when they face his former club.
Norgaard has clocked less than 700 minutes this season, including a brief appearance in last week’s victory over Sunderland. Despite starting three times in the Champions League but not yet in the league, Trossard has been full of praise for him.
“I would say Christian Norgaard is a good example of that,” Trossard shared on The Premier League Show when asked about team-mates who are setting high standards.
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“Because he always wants to set a higher standard for himself on and off the pitch, and I think he’s a very good pro.”
Arteta also had words of commendation for Danish midfielder Norgaard after giving him a start against Club Brugge in the Champions League in December.
“Christian Norgaard is a player that probably prepares the best out of all of them, and is somebody that makes all of us better every single day,” he told TNT Sports.
“He’s willing to play in any position, any condition, whether he plays more or less minutes, his attitude is always immaculate, and that’s a really good example for all of us.”
Injury nightmare
Arsenal have been hit with a fresh injury blow, with Kai Havertz facing a spell on the sidelines due to a muscle problem, just as a string of vital fixtures approaches.
The German striker is expected to miss the North London Derby clash with Tottenham, plus matches against Brentford, Wolves, and Wigan, reports The Athletic. This marks another concern for Havertz, who was ruled out for the majority of the campaign’s opening half through a knee complaint.
The original problem emerged during an early meeting with Manchester United, requiring surgery to help the 26-year-old regain full fitness. His subsequent return had strengthened Arteta’s forward line, but this appears destined for further disruption.
Havertz has appeared in only three top-flight outings this term, getting the nod in the previous two encounters versus Leeds United and Sunderland. The Sunderland fixture saw him lay on a goal, raising hopes he might emerge and showcase his abilities within the squad following his Emirates arrival, reports the Mirror.
This saw him playing in a deeper midfield role, allowing Gyokeres to roam freely up front, where he scored twice for the Gunners against Sunderland. Arteta explained his decision to use Havertz in this way: “Well, I suppose with the kind of game that we expected as well and the way they play and the type of threat that we wanted to create as well with him and Gabby in and around the three central defenders.
“So, yeah, something as well that we have to use because we have very different qualities from Kai to Martin or to Ebs or another attacking midfielder.”
However, it seems that Havertz may not be available for Arteta in the coming weeks across all competitions. This comes as a blow on the eve of Arsenal’s league match against Brentford, a crucial fixture in the unfolding title race.
