Arsenal Injuries: 4 Changes Mikel Arteta Has to Make on Premier League Return
An extended international break has offered Mikel Arteta plenty of time to ruminate over Arsenal'semphatic defeat at Brighton & Hove Albionon Sept. It had been a borderline procession at the start of the Gunners' title defense, with those who projected Arteta's men to waltz to a retention of their crown feeling rather smug after a gritty 2-0 victory at Sunderland maintained a 100% start to the Premier League season through four games.
But Brighton's beatdown of the champions manifested a fallibility that few had expected. In one fell swoop, Arsenal's credentials were questioned.
The most neurotic supporters suddenly feared that not enough had been done in the summer to resist the pushes of their volatile contenders. "This can't happen again," Arteta asserted post-match, and the Spaniard, who recently signed a contract extension with the Gunners that makes him thehighest-paid manager in the division, has ample opportunities for rectification before the next break.
However, Arsenal's quest to rid themselves ofshuddering Seagull-inflicted memorieswill be made tougher by several injury casualties. The break hasn't been kind to the Gunners, and Arteta will be forced into multiple personnel changes when Leeds United visit Emirates Stadium this Saturday.
Arsenal's Injury List After International Break Player Injury Status for Leeds Match Ezri Konsa Dead leg Doubt Christos Tzolis Hamstring Out-expected to be available in late October Kai Havertz Hamstring Out-sidelined for weeks Max Dowman Contact injury Available Declan Rice Hamstring/load management Available Cristhian Mosquera Hamstring Available William Saliba Back Out-sidelined until December Ben White Groin Available Arsenal entered the break with William Saliba out for the long haul due to a back issue, while Ben White had sustained a groin injury during the victory at Sunderland. Thomas Tuchel bemoaned the right back's absence and then had to deal with Declan Rice 's withdrawal for England's opening four 2026-27 UEFA Nations League matches.
Rice has been suffering with neural pain in his hamstring throughout 2026. After he started all but one of the Three Lions' World Cup outings in the summer off the back of a 55-game season with Arsenal, load management is being prioritized at the start of the new campaign.
The midfielder spent much of the break in Dubai, and is expected to be available for Leeds' visit on Saturday. White should also be back in action after he was spotted in training pictures last week.
Havertz suffered a hamstring injury on Jürgen Klopp's managerial bow for Germany. Kai Havertz and Christos Tzolis both sustained hamstring injuries while playing for Germany and Greece, respectively.
There have been positive updates following scans, but the pair are set to be sidelined for the next couple of weeks. Returns could be on the cards before the end of October.