Mikel Arteta Faces Six Key Selection Calls for Arsenal vs Brentford Amid Injury Crisis

Mikel Arteta – Arsenal return to Premier League action on Wednesday evening when they host Brentford at the Emirates Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 7:30pm. The Gunners will be looking to build momentum after their hard-fought draw with Chelsea last weekend, but Mikel Arteta faces several injury concerns that could force him into key selection changes.

Saliba a Major Doubt

Central defender William Saliba missed the Chelsea clash after sustaining a minor knock in training, and his participation against Brentford remains uncertain. Speaking to reporters ahead of the game, Arteta admitted the Frenchman faces a race against time:

“I’m not going to be able to help you much today as we have another training session. He had a little niggle, but I think it’s going to be a matter of days.”

If Saliba fails to recover, Arteta is expected to pair Piero Hincapié and Cristhian Mosquera in central defence once again, as he did at the weekend.

Trossard Facing Late Fitness Test

Leandro Trossard remains a fitness concern after picking up a calf injury in Arsenal’s Champions League tie against Bayern Munich last week. Arteta confirmed that the Belgian is also only “a matter of days” away from a full recovery, suggesting he may not be risked from the start. If he misses out, Gabriel Martinelli could be handed a return to the starting XI on the left flank.

Havertz and Gabriel Still Out

Arsenal will once again be without Kai Havertz, who continues his recovery from minor knee surgery undergone in August. The German midfielder is not expected to return for several weeks. Meanwhile, Gabriel Magalhães remains sidelined with a thigh injury. Arteta offered a brief update on the defender’s progress, saying:

“He’s doing very well, but that’s weeks as well.”

Odegaard and Gyökeres Return to Boost Attack

There was at least some good news for Arsenal supporters, with both Martin Ødegaard and Viktor Gyökeres expected to be available after overcoming recent knocks. Gyökeres is likely to start up front in place of Mikel Merino, giving the attack a more natural focal point.

Arteta’s side will then return to domestic action at home to Wolves on December 13, marking a critical period in their season.