Arsenal news: Mikel Arteta confirms 'biggest fear' as Martin Odegaard injury decision made
Mikel Arteta is looking to use the upcoming international break as a chance for Arsenal to regroup following a difficult four-game winless run, with the Gunners still struggling with injuries
by Jacob Leeks · The MirrorArsenal's season is faltering with the Gunners now nine points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Boss Mikel Arteta has admitted he is hoping to use the upcoming international break to regroup. The Spaniard has been hit by a number of injuries over the past few weeks, with Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice the latest to suffer issues.
They suffered their injuries during Sunday's draw with Chelsea, which left Arteta fuming at his players. Elsewhere, captain Martin Odegaard looks set to link up with the Norway squad for the their games against Slovenia and Kazakhstan.
Odegaard only made his first start since early September on Sunday, with Arteta remaining coy on his chances of featuring for his country. Here, Mirror Football rounds up all the latest Arsenal news.
Odegaard injury latest
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has been called up for international duty by Norway. The midfielder has only just returned from an ankle injury picked up while playing for Norway which kept him sidelined from 9 September to 6 November.
Gunners boss Arteta appeared to rule him out of next week's games. He said: “I don’t know another player that is capable of [playing 90 minutes to that standard] after six weeks out. He had a day-and-a-half to be able to do that. Just how physically and mentally connected he was with the team, it was unbelievable.”
But Norway boss Stale Solbakken was keen to bring him straight back into his squad. He told VG: “We’ll see how it turns out. The ankle, the medics and Martin decide this.”
Read the latest on Odegaard's call-up.
Arsenal face fresh injury headache
Arsenal are facing a fresh injury headache, with both Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka expected to withdraw from the England squad. The Three Lions face Greece and the Republic of Ireland next week.
Both Rice and Saka had been included in Lee Carsley's squad. But Arteta confirmed on Sunday that neither are likely to feature for their country after being subbed off in the draw with Chelsea.
Arteta said: “It doesn’t look good, because for two players of that importance to tell you they cannot continue in the game, obviously it’s not good news. I don’t know whether to expect them to be fit (for England) because if not they don’t come off.”
Read the latest Arsenal injury news.
Arteta reveals 'biggest fear'
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is desperate to get his squad fully fit after admitting that injuries had created a “nightmare” situation over the past two months. The Gunners have gone into the international break in fourth place.
Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge has left them staring at a nine-point gap to leaders Liverpool after 11 games. And Arteta is desperate for his squad to be boosted by reinforcements.
“You could see everything was flowing but again it is about winning,” Arteta told Sky Sports. “We have a clear vision of how we can evolve the team. What we find out is that we have to change something big because we have problem after problem. My biggest fear is physically to get players at their best for 90 minutes. With that I'm fully confident we will have a good season.”
Read Arteta's thoughts on Arsenal's title hopes.
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