Mikel Arteta fears Arsenal’s growing injury list could damage his bid to win the quadruple.
Arteta’s side booked their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 4-0 win over Wigan at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
But the Gunners’ brutal dismissal of the League One struggler was marred by injuries to Riccardo Calafiori and Ben White.
Italian defender Calafiori picked up a problem during the pre-match warm-up and was unable to play, while right-back White was forced off in the second half.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard did not feature in Thursday’s fourth round tie after suffering defeat in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Brentford.
German forward Kai Havertz is expected to be out for at least the rest of the month, and Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino is expected to be out for the rest of the season after undergoing foot surgery.
READ: FA Cup: Arsenal beat Wigan 4-0 as Premier League teams advance to fifth round
With Arsenal top of the Premier League, through to the last 16 of the Champions League, and facing Manchester City in the League Cup final, Gunners boss Arteta admitted the fitness issues were starting to become alarming.
«Yes. It used to be the attackers, then it was the defenders, and now it’s the midfielders,» he said.
«We can deal with that. But we need some players back and fit, not just because of the numbers, but also because of the different options we have compared to the opponents, so the sooner they get back, the better.»
Arsenal, four points clear at the top of the Premier League, take on Wolves at Molineux on Wednesday ahead of the north London derby at Tottenham next weekend.
They enjoyed the ideal preparation for a crucial week by scoring four times in the opening 27 minutes against Wigan through Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, an own goal from Jack Hunt and Gabriel Jesus.
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Eberechi Eze, signed from Crystal Palace last year, has been criticized for his disappointing form so far this season.
The England midfielder was taken off at half-time from Brentford for his first league start in two months.
He finally showed the quality that convinced Arsenal to sign him with two assists against Wigan.
“Those players need those moments, and especially when we talk about the creative players, they need to feel like they are producing those moments,” Arteta said.
«I’m very happy with that. It’s really a good thing for the atmosphere and for trust.»
“The risks he took in the final third and the number of shots he tried to take were really positive, and that’s what we want from him.”
Published on February 16, 2026
