Arsenal fans held their breath midweek when Declan Rice unexpectedly hobbled off during the Gunners’ 2-0 win over Brentford. And if anyone was expecting a clear update from Mikel Arteta, they certainly didn’t get one.

Ahead of Arsenal’s crucial trip to Villa Park, the Spanish manager remained intentionally cryptic — and for good reason. Arsenal’s injury list is growing, and every hour seems to matter.

Arteta Says: “Let’s See” — Patience Required On Rice

Rice has become the engine, heartbeat, and battery pack of Arsenal’s midfield since arriving from West Ham. His presence is so crucial that even a minor niggle triggers panic across North London.

Although Rice himself told reporters he felt “fine” after the match, Arteta isn’t rushing any verdict.

According to the manager:

“We have another training session in the afternoon. Every hour is going to be very important to see the availability of the players.”

Translation: Nobody knows anything yet — even him.

Arsenal’s Defensive Crisis Deepens

And Rice isn’t the only concern.

Arteta also confirmed that Cristhian Mosquera is facing an uphill battle for the Villa clash. With Saliba and Gabriel already sidelined, losing Mosquera too would leave Arsenal’s defensive unit looking like a Jenga tower leaning on hope and prayers.

Arteta put it bluntly:

“That’s the more complicated one… we need to corroborate with all the testing today.”

Meanwhile, hopes remain higher for William Saliba and Leandro Trossard, with the manager saying their situations are “a matter of days.”

January Window Already Open In Arteta’s Mind

Despite spending over £250 million in the last transfer window, Arteta hinted Arsenal may need to dip back into the market — especially with injuries hitting key departments.

“We always have to be prepared… we need to be open for it.”

In football language, that usually means one thing: Phone lines will be busy in January.

Fixture Congestion? Arteta Shrugs It Off

Playing midweek at Brentford and facing Aston Villa on Saturday lunchtime is hardly ideal, but Arteta kept his cool.

“We are ready for tomorrow’s game, that’s for sure.”

Whether his squad physically is… that’s another story.

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Arsenal’s defensive dominance in the Premier League has a new driving force behind it, according to William Saliba. The French centre-back has hailed Gabriel Heinze, Mikel Arteta’s new first-team coach, as the mastermind behind the Gunners’ impressive backline.

Since joining Arteta’s staff in July, Heinze has brought his trademark intensity and energy to Arsenal’s training ground, helping a side that has conceded just seven goals in 14 Premier League matches — the best defensive record in the division.

Heinze’s Influence On The Gunners

Speaking to the Men in Blazers Media Network, Saliba described Heinze as a constant presence around the defenders:

“Gabriel Heinze helps a lot, especially the defenders. He gives us energy because he’s always talking, always loud — even in training when we do simple things, he’s always loud. Even for nothing, he will be loud! He talks a lot and it’s good to have him close to us. I think this guy can help us a lot.”

Saliba’s comments paint a vivid picture of Heinze as a demanding coach, whose booming voice and relentless standards lift the entire defensive unit.

Arteta added context to Heinze’s appointment, noting their long-standing friendship and mutual trust:

“He’s a winner. He’s won in many clubs he’s been at. We’ve known each other for 23 years, I’m very close to that. It brings something extra.”

He praised Heinze’s tactical insight and complementary personality:

“We complement each other really well, and everybody brings a different insight, a different character, a different personality, to the table that makes us a much better team.”

A Winning Pedigree

Heinze’s coaching approach is rooted in a winning playing career. From PSG to Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Marseille, the former defender was known for hard tackling and relentless duels. Since retiring in 2014, he’s built a coaching résumé across South America and the U.S., including stints at Godoy Cruz, Argentinos Juniors, Velez Sarsfield, Atlanta United, and Newell’s Old Boys.

Testing Defensive Resilience

Heinze’s influence comes at a time when Arsenal’s defense has been hit by injuries. Key centre-backs Saliba and Gabriel have been sidelined, forcing Arteta to deploy makeshift partnerships like Mosquera, Piero Hincapie, and Jurrien Timber. Despite the reshuffling, Arsenal still secured a 2-0 victory over Brentford, proving the defensive organisation and resilience Heinze has instilled.

Arteta commented on the injury situation:

“He (Saliba) had a little niggle, so I think it’s going to be a matter of days. Big Gabi is doing very well as well, but that’s weeks as well.”

With Heinze bringing energy, intensity, and tactical sharpness, Arsenal’s defensive stability continues to impress, even amid injury crises — a testament to the Argentine coach’s impact on the Premier League leaders.

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Liverpool boss Arne Slot has addressed the speculation surrounding Mohamed Salah, admitting that the Egypt forward is “always in my mind” despite being left out of the last two starting line-ups.

Salah, 33, has had a slow start to the Premier League season, scoring just four goals, and has played only 45 minutes across the last two games. The forward’s omission from the starting XI has sparked talk of a potential Saudi Pro League move, though Salah recently signed a two-year contract extension with Liverpool in April.

Slot Explains Salah Situation

“I think for every player in my mind can start and Mo is an exceptional player for us,” Slot said. “He is always in my mind to either start or to come off the bench.”

Salah played a starring role last season, scoring 29 goals as Liverpool lifted the Premier League in Slot’s first campaign. However, he was an unused substitute in Liverpool’s 2-1 win at West Ham and again came off the bench in the 1-1 draw at home to Sunderland.

Slot acknowledged the chatter around Salah’s absence, saying:

“The chatter, yes because he deserves that, he has been so influential for me and six or seven years. It’s completely normal people talk about it when he isn’t playing.”

Van Dijk Weighs In

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk also commented, highlighting that no player at the club has “unlimited credit”:

“He is still a fantastic player and we still have to remember there is a reason why he has been so successful at the club and we have to respect that. I need him around as one of the leaders. He’s disappointed but that’s absolutely normal. It’s always been the case that no one is undroppable.”

This statement underscores the high standards at Liverpool, even for one of their most prolific stars.

Liverpool’s Current Form

The Reds are currently ninth in the Premier League, 11 points behind leaders Arsenal, having won just two of their nine league games. Salah’s presence will be crucial as Liverpool look to regain momentum, with their next game set against Leeds United.

While fans debate Salah’s place in the squad, both Slot and Van Dijk emphasize that he remains central to Liverpool’s ambitions, both on the pitch and in the dressing room.

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