Arsenal sit nine points clear at the top of the Premier League, yet they move into the most critical week of their entire season battered and short-staffed. The Gunners suffered a major blow to their title hopes with a 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday, a result that came right after being knocked out of the FA Cup by Championship side Southampton.
Before that, they managed a narrow 1-0 win over Sporting CP in Lisbon, thanks to a stoppage-time goal from Kai Havertz. Three losses in four matches across all competitions have shaken the team’s confidence, and now Mikel Arteta has to find a way to steady the ship without several of his key players.
Who is out and when do they return?
According to the Evening Standard, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, and Riccardo Calafiori all missed the Bournemouth match, though there is still hope that one or two could return for the big games ahead. Odegaard, the Arsenal captain, injured his knee during the first leg against Sporting Lisbon.
Arteta confirmed the Norwegian picked up a niggle that kept him out of the Bournemouth game entirely. He was seen arriving at the Emirates with the team, suggesting the injury isn’t too serious; his potential return is currently set for Wednesday, 15 April against Sporting CP, or Sunday, 19 April against Manchester City.
Saka has been sidelined since the international break with an unspecified knock, missing the losses to Southampton and Bournemouth as well as the win over Sporting. Sports Mole matches the Evening Standard’s report, suggesting he could also return for Sporting second leg.
Calafiori played the full 90 minutes in Lisbon but was dropped from the squad for Bournemouth. He hasn’t played back-to-back Premier League matches since early December and is a doubt for Wednesday after missing training on Thursday. Elsewhere, Jurrien Timber hasn’t played since mid-March, Piero Hincapie was injured on international duty with Ecuador, and Mikel Merino’s return date remains a mystery. Hincapie might be back for the Sporting game, but there is no clear timeline for Timber or Merino.
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Can Arsenal actually win anything with this injury list?
That’s the big question, and the honest answer is that these injuries highlight a lack of squad depth that Arteta hasn’t quite fixed. Odegaard runs the show in the final third; without him, Arsenal managed just 0.19 xG from open play against Bournemouth, one of their lowest home league stats all season. That number is a wake-up call. Saka is the team’s most direct goal threat, and missing him forces a reshuffle that clearly breaks the team’s rhythm. Calafiori brings a level of athleticism and ball-carrying from the back that no other left-back offers.
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Losing all three at once isn’t just bad luck; it’s a disaster given the timing. Arsenal still have their first-leg lead against Sporting and are still top of the table, but they can’t just get by anymore. The Manchester City game on 19 April requires them to be at their absolute best, and a Champions League semi-final spot is on the line this Wednesday. If even two of these players come back fit, Arsenal are still in the hunt. If they don’t, this could be the week their season starts to unravel.
