“Mikel Arteta is losing central defenders one by one.”, — write: football.ua
Mikel Arteta is losing central defenders one by one.
Christian Mosquera Getty Images 04 December 2025, 22:52
21-year-old central defender Cristian Mosquera, who started in the starting line-up due to the absence of key players, was forced to leave the field in the first half due to injury.
The Gunners are having a strong 2025-26 season, losing just one Premier League game and topping the table. However, the team is haunted by injuries to key players:
William Saliba – missed the match with a micro-injury which Arteta called strange and accidental. He is expected to return in a few days.
Gabriel Magallanes – is recovering from injury and according to the coach, his return will take a few more weeks.
Leandro Trossard — has a calf problem, expected to return in the coming days.
Kai Havertz – has not played since the first round against Manchester United, his recovery will take a few more weeks.
Due to the absence of the main pair of center backs, Arteta fielded newcomers – Mosquera and Piero Incapie.
The match against Brentford brought another bit of bad news, with key midfielder Declan Rice also leaving the pitch late in the game with a suspected ankle injury. He was replaced by Viktor Djokeres, who himself recently recovered from an injury.
Despite being starved of personnel, Arsenal managed to grab the three points thanks to goals from Mikel Merino and Bukayo Sac to restore their 5-point lead at the top of the table.
The next test for Arteta’s side is a difficult trip to Aston Villa on Saturday.