EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal have been told that a ‘huge’ injury blow will have a crucial impact on the title race after the Gunners made a bold transfer decision
Arsenal have been told that the major injury blow suffered by Mikel Merino could have a crucial impact on the title.
The Gunners take on Brentford on Thursday evening looking to make it a third consecutive Premier League win and reinstate their six point lead at the top of the league over Manchester City.
But the test of 7th place Brentford will be a tough one, and Mikel Arteta will be unable to call upon his favourite auxiliary striker and aerial monster Merino if the game starts to drift away from the Gunners.
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Merino is sidelined for a number of months after undergoing surgery on a stress facture in his foot sustained during Arsenal’s 3-2 defeat against Manchester United last month. Despite losing the key midfielder, Arsenal didn’t make a late deadline day signing despite an audacious attempt to sign Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star Sport via William Hill, Nigel Winterburn, who made 584 appearances for Arsenal over 13-years and lifted three league titles, admitted losing Merino is a key blow at the time when the Spaniard had found his best form.
His absence has also been made more difficult by Kai Havertz picked up a new injury that will leave him out of action for the rest of the month, though the German is expected to return to action before Merino does.
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“I think he was showing the best form of his time at Arsenal. It looked like he’s really settled in and he can play in multiple positions as well. Yes, it will affect them,” Winterburn said.
“I think it’s a huge blow, though Havertz is back so he can fill that role as well. But you still want that option – I think for most clubs there’s usually one or two players out. That’s really all you want. At some stage of the season, you just don’t want lots of long-term.
“It’s more a blow for him (Merino), and I think he is slightly disappointed because I think he was starting to show his best form for Arsenal.”
Despite the sizeable hole left in the squad, Winterburn believes that Arsenal were correct not to enter the transfer market to sign a replacement.
“The squad is strong enough, you didn’t need to bring in anyone. I think they may have looked at it, but I got asked that question about three or four days before the transfer window closed. I didn’t believe they would sign anybody.
“This squad’s strong enough to cope with that. Let’s see, we’ll find out by the end of May.”