Arsenal Press Conference: Arteta Talks Injuries, Eze Impact & Liverpool Clash

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been speaking to the press ahead of their upcoming Premier League match against Liverpool this Sunday (16:30 kick-off). Both Arsenal and Liverpool head into the fixture with maximum points from their first two games. While both sides have been free-scoring, Arsenal boast two clean sheets compared to Liverpool’s four goals conceded.

Here’s all the key information from the conference:

Arsenal have been unfortunate with injuries in the early stages of the season. Bukayo Saka is expected to be out for a couple of weeks with a hamstring injury, while Kai Havertz has undergone knee surgery and will be sidelined for many weeks. Ben White and Leandro Trossard have also not been spotted in training, and Martin Ødegaard is currently dealing with a shoulder injury. Arteta confirmed that the captain hasn’t trained yet, but the club is “doing everything possible to make him available.”

When asked whether Arsenal can do more internally to reduce injuries having recorded 27 last season and already suffering 7 this campaign Arteta responded honestly:

“We have to analyse what we do, that’s for sure. In the previous season, we had the best record in the Premier League. The following season, we had one of the worst. […] We have looked at everything and we are continually monitoring and evolving the needs of the players and the schedule. But unfortunately, we saw very diverse injuries again. Probably some of them were very unexpected.”

Despite the setbacks, Arteta remained optimistic:

“A lot of players can play in different positions, that’s the good thing about our squad.”

He also reserved praise for new signing Eberechi Eze, who has already made a strong impression:

“His energy when you are next to him, you are confident that he’s going to beat his man. His flow with the ball is effortless. Very impressive.”

Arteta acknowledged Liverpool’s evolution this season, pointing to how their new signings have changed the dynamic of their attack and build-up play:

“They’ve had a lot of signings really good signings. They keep evolving the squad like we’ve done as well.”

On whether this clash could define Arsenal’s season, Arteta played it down but emphasised the importance of momentum in high-profile matches:

“It’s a very important one. We must aim to win in a really convincing way.”

Reflecting on previous struggles at Anfield, he underlined the need for sharper execution and stronger belief:

“Just go there and be convinced that we can go to Anfield and win.”

Despite the current injury concerns, Arteta is confident in the squad’s balance and adaptability. With new arrivals settling in and players stepping into different roles, Arsenal remain focused on consistency and sustaining their early momentum in what promises to be a fiercely competitive title race.