Mikel Arteta on injury crisis: Arsenal in 'really dangerous circle' as Max Dowman also sidelined
Mikel Arteta says Arsenal are caught in a "really dangerous circle" after a consistent spate on injuries across this season; Max Dowman is the latest Gunners' player to be ruled out, but Arteta denies over-training is to blame; Arsenal play Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday
Wednesday 10 December 2025 11:09, UK
Mikel Arteta said Arsenal are in a "really dangerous circle" as their injury crisis worsened over the weekend with news that teenager Max Dowman has been sidelined for a number of weeks with ankle ligament damage.
Arsenal's 28 injuries is the highest in the Premier League this season. Their current absentee list is made up of three centre-backs in William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Cristhian Mosquera, as well as Kai Havertz and now Dowman.
Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Ben White, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus, Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard and Piero Hincapie have also faced spells on the sidelines across an injury-blighted campaign, some with multiple setbacks.
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To add to Arteta's problems, Trossard has not travelled to Belgium for Arsenal's Champions League match against Club Brugge on Wednesday after he limped off in defeat to Aston Villa over the weekend while Declan Rice is also absent - but through illness.
Gabriel Jesus, on his way back from an ACL injury, has replaced Dowman in the Gunners' Champions League squad and could make his first appearance since January against Brugge.
Asked if training methods are partly to blame, Arteta said: "No, because we don't have time to train. Today [Tuesday] we've done 20 minutes, so surely it's not because we over-trained the players.
"But obviously when you are missing players, you are loading other players and there is a consequence to that, and it's a really dangerous circle.
"You have to separate the kind of injuries. Some of them have been long-term and some have been acute injuries. It's something that we are constantly looking at.
"We have played a lot of games with a lot of players missing and that puts a lot of stress, and then you get more injuries."
Commenting on Dowman's injury, Arteta added: "With Max, unfortunately he picked up an injury last weekend, and he had to come off, so we did some scans and he is going to be out for weeks."
Arsenal can make it six consecutive wins in the Champions League with victory in Belgium, almost certainly guaranteeing a top-eight finish and automatic qualification to the knockout rounds.
Injuries in clusters poses another problem
It is not just the volume of injuries causing problems for Arsenal. They continue to suffer injuries in positional clusters too.
Last season, it was most apparent up front, with Havertz tearing his hamstring in February after another injury to Jesus had increased the burden on him as the side's only available striker.
A similar situation occurred at right-back, as injuries to Takehiro Tomiyasu and White ensured a punishing schedule for Jurrien Timber, who had to undergo surgery on an ankle issue in May.
Arsenal paid the price for leaving themselves short in certain positions last season, particularly up front. But the problem has resurfaced this term.
An injury to Havertz at the start of the season left Gyokeres with a heavier-than-planned load. He then hurt his groin, with midfielder Mikel Merino having to fill in up front as he did last season.
Merino performed admirably in the role but, having been required to start seven consecutive games in the space of a month for Arsenal, either side of another two starts for Spain, he was taken off at half-time in Saturday's loss Aston Villa, clearly fatigued.
Arsenal's December fixtures
Dec 10: Club Brugge (A) - Champions League
Dec 13: Wolves (H) - Premier League
Dec 20: Everton (A) - Premier League, live on Sky Sports
Dec 23: Crystal Palace (H) - Carabao Cup quarter-final, live on Sky Sports
Dec 27: Brighton (H) - Premier League
Dec 30: Aston Villa (H) - Premier League, live on Sky Sports
