Mikel Arteta could potentially be facing an injury crisis at Arsenal(Image: (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images))

Arsenal face defining period in Premier League title race as Mikel Arteta battles injury crisis

The next few weeks before the November international break could be crucial for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal

17 Oct 2024, 15:00 by Lee Wilmot · football.london

The next month before the final international break of 2024 could well be a defining period in the Premier League title race for Arsenal Football Club.

There will be one more international break before the turn of the year - in mid November - but there is a crucial run of fixtures up until that point. Clubs will be looking to manoeuvre themselves into the perfect position in the table before the festive run of fixtures.

For Arsenal it looks like an intriguing set of fixtures between now and that November international break and manager Mikel Arteta will have to negotiate them in the midst of something of an injury crisis.

Until the Arsenal boss' press conference on Friday afternoon, we will not know the status of the likes of Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Ben White, Jurrien Timber, Gabriel Martinelli or Takehiro Tomiyasu. All seven have either knocks or are on their way back from longer-term injuries and at least four of them are guaranteed starters in Arteta's side.

The Gunners have already proven they have a much stronger squad this season, managing to battle through this injury crisis so far to sit just one point behind leaders Liverpool so far. And that's having played Aston Villa, Man City and Tottenham all away from home already.

Now though they are about to embark on a crucial run of matches. First up now the international break is over, is a game Arsenal will be expecting to get all three points from without too much fuss - Bournemouth away on Saturday.

They follow that with a home Champions League clash against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday, before a crunch title clash with Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, October 27.

Arteta can then rest some key players for the Carabao Cup clash with Preston North End the following midweek, before a tricky trip to St. James' Park to take on Newcastle. Arsenal have lost two of their last three visits to the north east.

There's then a very tough trip to the San Siro in midweek to take on Inter in the Champions League, before returning home for a massive London derby with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The Blues are resurgent under new head coach Enzo Maresca, themselves just four points of the top of the table so far in the Premier League.

That's seven games in just over three weeks, with the Gunners playing two games a week until the next international break. It could be make or break, even at this early stage of the season, and Arteta will be looking to get players back as quickly as possible.

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