We return to Premier League action on Saturday, December 13 against Wolves at Emirates Stadium, and you can see how we’ve been preparing for the contest with our latest training gallery.

Despite our 18-match unbeaten run coming to an end at Villa Park last weekend, we head into Saturday’s game in winning form after thrashing Club Brugge 3-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Victory against Rob Edwards’ side would extend our lead at the top of the Premier League to five points, with the teams closest to us in the table playing on Sunday.

Swipe through the gallery below, captured by club photographer, Stuart MacFarlane, to see what our players have been up to at the Sobha Realty Training Centre:

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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

Image:Mikel Arteta says Arsenal are in “dangerous circle” regarding injury issues

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.

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.

Image:Gabriel picked up an injury against Olympiakos

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.

Watch Arsenal players’ reaction to Emi Buendia’s last-gasp goal for Aston Villa that ended their 18-match unbeaten run

“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

Image:Kai Havertz hasn’t played a single minute for Arsenal this season

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.

Gary Neville believes although Arsenal will now feel Manchester City breathing down their neck, it isn’t time to panic, as they simply lost a tough match against Aston Villa

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.

Everton

Arsenal

Saturday 20th December 7:45pmKick off 8:00pm

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

The Gunners suddenly find themselves just two points ahead of Manchester City.

Mikel Arteta had zero senior centre backs on his bench for Arsenal’s trip to Villa

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta revealed the Gunners will have to “cope” without William Saliba and Gabriel for an ongoing “period of time.”

The two defenders were sorely missed on Saturday afternoon in Arsenal’s heartbreaking 2–1 defeat to Aston Villa. The league-leaders saw their point at Villa Park snatched away with the final kick of the match by Emiliano Buendía, who bagged the winner for the hosts in the 95th minute.

The injured Saliba and Gabriel remained on the sidelines for the clash, joined by fellow centre back Cristhian Mosquera, who suffered an ankle injury in the Gunners’ 2–0 win over Brentford on Wednesday evening.

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Piero Hincapié and Jurriën Timber got the nod in defence, flanked on either side by Riccardo Calafiori and Ben White. The makeshift backline could not withstand Unai Emery’s in-form Villans, though, and were left stunned when the final whistle blew in Birmingham.

Following the match, Arteta did not have any positive updates to share on Saliba or Gabriel’s statuses: “It is what it is. I think we have to cope with that [their absence]. We’re going to have to cope with that for a period of time as well.”

Saliba has missed Arsenal’s last three matches after picking up a knock in training ahead of the club’s trip to Stamford Bridge. Gabriel, meanwhile, has not featured since he sustained a thigh injury while representing Brazil during the November international window.

Arteta Issues Damning Mosquera Fitness Update



Cristhian Mosquera (left) came out against Brentford with an ankle injury. / Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images

Arteta also spoke on Mosquera’s fitness following the club’s defeat on Saturday and had no good news to share.

“He’s going to be out for weeks. Unfortunately, it’s much more than what we expected, with the way he was feeling,” the Spanish boss said.

Previous reports stated Mosquera would be out for at least six weeks, leaving Arsenal extremely shorthanded in defence ahead of the busy holiday period. Even worse, Manchester City are now just two points behind the Gunners in the Premier League title race.

“We know that and the team has to be able to adapt that,” Arteta said of Arsenal’s injury woes. “Don’t look for excuses. Obviously, we know what [Saliba and Gabriel] bring, especially in games like this.”

Still, the 43-year-old will hope to at least get Saliba back in time for the Gunners’ trip to Belgium, where they face Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday evening.