Mikel Arteta admission hints at conflict behind the scenes during Arsenal title push
Arsenal are riding high in the Premier League and Champions League, and are about to be boosted by players returning from injury, but Mikel Arteta still has a problem to solve
It is a good problem to have for Mikel Arteta, but a problem nonetheless. Arsenal are sitting top of the Premier League and Champions League. If they beat Chelsea on Sunday, they can create a nine-point gap at the top. And yet Arteta still has issues on his plate.
One of the reasons Arsenal have been so impressive this season is their work in the summer transfer window, when over £250million was spent and eight players arrived. The business done by sporting director Andrea Berta strengthened Arteta’s squad, leaving him with at least two top-quality players per position.
That has been absolutely crucial, with the Gunners forced to cope with injuries to many of their key players. Gabriel Jesus, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhaes, among others, have all suffered injuries this season and yet Arsenal have continued to roll on, largely unaffected.
While Gabriel remains sidelined and Leandro Trossard picked up an issue in the 3-1 win over Bayern Munich, Arteta’s pre-match briefing on Friday confirmed that Arsenal are heading in the right direction with injuries. That is undoubtedly good news for Arteta and Arsenal fans as they chase a first Premier League title since 2004.
READ MORE: Arsenal injury news: Mikel Arteta gives five-player update as Viktor Gyokeres hope givenREAD MORE: Cole Palmer's status for Arsenal game revealed in latest Chelsea injury updateBut it comes as a blow to the chances of Arsenal’s youngsters and fringe players, who have seen their opportunities squeezed by the team’s success and the intense competition for places across the pitch. In Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman, Arsenal have three extremely talented and exciting young academy graduates who are desperate to kick on in first-team football.
Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri made a real impact in 2024/25, but have found things harder going this season after the summer spending spree. Having made his breakthrough with club and country last season, with 39 appearances for Arsenal, Lewis-Skelly, 19, has been stuck behind Riccardo Calafiori in the left-back pecking order this season, while Piero Hincapie is now coming into contention more often too.
Nwaneri, 18, contributed nine goals and two assists in 37 appearances last season, but has been limited to three starts this season, two of which have come in the Carabao Cup. He has played 428 minutes of competitive first-team action, but is clearly eager for more.
Arteta confirmed on Friday that Nwaneri was among the players to take part in a behind-closed-doors friendly this week alongside Jesus as he works towards match fitness following a long injury lay-off. “Yeah, it did happen, so Gabi participated, Ethan as well, because he wanted some minutes, so we took that opportunity,” the Arsenal boss said. “It was for the players that needed a bit of exposure and competition to provide that to them and it was very positive.”
Arteta has been extremely supportive of the young players in his squad and deserves lots of credit for aiding their development. He hinted that the juggling act he is attempting when answering a question about Cristhian Mosquera and Hincapie battling for a place in defence.
“In relation to the opponent, the game, the state that the players are in, Myles as well, is obviously a very good option that we have there,” Arteta said. “Keep using everybody and making them feel that they are connected with the team.”
That is the balance Arteta is trying to find: keeping Arsenal’s exceptional form going, not risking over-use injuries, while ensuring squad harmony. Winning squads tend to be happy ones and the youngsters know they have got it good right now.
But, for Lewis-Skelly in particular, there is the understanding that he needs to play if he is to break back into England’s squad for the World Cup after being left out for Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly in the most recent qualifiers.
“Myles simply needs more starts, more minutes,” Thomas Tuchel explained this month. For now, Lewis-Skelly is doing exactly what Arteta expects of him: training hard and fighting for his place.
“I’m enjoying it,” he said last month of the competition. “It’s a different experience for me, not playing as much at the moment, but I’m enjoying being part of the team. It’s important to compete for places and I’m a competitive person, so I’m never going to back down. I enjoy the challenge. Being with these boys is a joy. The standards are high and everyone wants to play. Because the levels are so much higher this season, places are short, but you’ve just got to compete.”
If Arteta can continue toeing the line, keeping his youngsters focused on the goal, despite a reduced number of minutes, then he will get the best of both worlds.
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