Last year, Arsenal utilized this period for warm-weather training in Dubai, resulting in a remarkable turnaround, although they ultimately fell short of the title. Following back-to-back losses against West Ham and Fulham to close out 2023, Mikel Arteta's team only dropped five points in their remaining 18 league games and began the new year with an eight-game winning streak, netting 33 goals.
Now, after a confident win against Brentford to kick off 2025, Arsenal understand they must maintain near-perfect form to have any hope of catching Liverpool, who currently hold a six-point lead with a game in hand. However, with a packed January schedule of nine matches and a growing injury list, Arteta lacks the mid-season break he had last year to prepare his squad.
Playing Brentford on New Year's Day means Arsenal have had less preparation time than Brighton, who played on Monday, before their clash at the Amex on Saturday evening. Adding to Arteta's woes, a sickness bug sidelined Kai Havertz for the Brentford match, compounding a season already marred by misfortune.
The troubles began with new signing Mikel Merino dislocating his shoulder in his first training session, followed by Martin Ødegaard's 12-game absence due to an ankle injury sustained on international duty. Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Riccardo Calafiori also returned from international duty with injuries. To make matters worse, Saka is now expected to be out for at least two months with a hamstring tear suffered against Crystal Palace.
This starkly contrasts with last season, when Jurriën Timber was the only Arsenal player to suffer a major injury. Key players like Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães, Declan Rice, Ødegaard, Martinelli, and Saka were mainstays in the league.
Data from Premier Injuries reveals that by mid-December, Arsenal had endured 16 injuries – only surpassed by Brighton and Ipswich with 17 each – forcing players to miss matches, resulting in a total of 406 days lost, the fifth-highest in the Premier League.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised his team's versatility after they overcame a sickness bug to beat Southampton 3-1 on Friday.
Last January, Arteta labeled Arsenal's squad as one of the "thinnest" in the league after a quiet winter transfer window. He reiterated this concern last week, and it remains to be seen if Arsenal will seek reinforcements, though financial limitations may force them to rely on their current squad. "OK, so what do we need then?" Arteta asked. "If we are the thinnest, what do we need? And really dig into that and make sure that we utilise every player in the best possible potential. Everybody has to feel part of it.”
This philosophy was evident in the starting lineup against Brentford, with Ethan Nwaneri making his first full league start at the same ground where he became the youngest Premier League player in September 2022. The 17-year-old, playing in Saka's usual right-wing position, provided the crosses for Merino and Martinelli's goals, justifying Arteta's decision to let Emile Smith Rowe leave last summer. He will face competition from Raheem Sterling when the England forward recovers from a knee injury, but it's unlikely Sterling's season-long loan from Chelsea will be cut short given Arsenal's limited squad.
Another teenager, Myles Lewis-Skelly, has filled in admirably for Calafiori at left-back in the absence of the Italian and Zinchenko. The academy graduate is expected to return for the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Newcastle on Tuesday. This competition may prove to be an additional burden on Arsenal's already stretched squad. However, with Arteta eager to establish a winning culture, he might prioritize the Carabao Cup and rest players for the FA Cup tie against Manchester United the following Sunday, ahead of challenging league matches against Tottenham and Aston Villa within four days.
Arsenal could ease their fixture congestion before their final Champions League group stage match against Girona by securing a top-eight finish with a win over Dinamo Zagreb on 22 January. This will be their fifth consecutive home game in a stretch that sees them play only once outside London between their 5-1 victory over Sporting on 26 November and a trip to Wolves on 25 January. This, at least, offers some respite for Arteta.
Gabriel Jesus's return to form has been timely, with the striker finally rediscovering his scoring touch. Maintaining this form and finding goals from sources other than set pieces will be vital for Arsenal's title hopes. Jesus, a four-time Premier League winner with City, is confident. “I’ve already been there, but I can see this team is experienced now,” he said after the Brentford game. “We have amazing players, and I’m sure we can fight for the title.”
