Arsenal have commissioned a physiotherapist from exterior their medical workers to assessment a that threaten to derail the membership’s Premier League title push.
Spanish physio Joaquín Acedo has been introduced in to guide the investigation. It’s understood that Acedo is a buddy of Mikel Arteta, the supervisor, and has been a daily presence across the squad in current months.
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There’s rigidity on the membership attributable to the variety of occasions the group has been with out key gamers over the course of the season. Of Arsenal’s 22 outfielders, solely and have prevented damage this season whereas key gamers, Martin Odegaard, , have had .
Arteta with Joaquín Acedo
Arteta has a robust workers overseeing the advanced enterprise of medical provision and conditioning for his squad. The membership recruited lead physician Zafar Iqbal from in February 2024, an skilled sports activities drugs practitioner.
Arteta is near Tom Allen, the membership’s head of sport science and efficiency, who has printed intensive authentic analysis on the rising bodily calls for for Premier League gamers to cowl ever larger distances in matches.
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Acedo posted on his Instagram feed in September that he was at Arsenal’s London Colney coaching floor on a “new undertaking” to “proceed enhancing and obtain nice issues with this membership. Troublesome however thrilling”, he added.
Telegraph Sport understands he was on the membership through the earlier season on Arteta’s suggestion. Earlier posts on Acedo’s feed clarify that Acedo, who has a physiotherapy observe in Cádiz, has a longstanding friendship with Arteta.
On the opposite facet of the argument, the membership has a coverage of finishing up evaluations each few months to have a look at how they or handle gamers’ relaxation. It’s a observe that Arteta has spoken about up to now.
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Arteta’s game-plans ask plenty of his gamers and the depth of coaching periods is an open secret.
Whereas the damage image modifications weekly, there have been accidents this season which have disadvantaged the membership of key gamers together with , and , who has twice aggravated accidents in pre-match warm-ups this season.
As soon as once more there are issues about participant availability for an additional vital Premier League recreation, at dwelling to on Saturday, the place Arsenal may go six factors away from , who can have performed two fewer matches. Havertz and Timber have been dominated out with Odegaard a doubt.
Earlier this yr, Arteta stated it was necessary to have a look at the completely different sorts of accidents. “A few of them have been long-term and acute accidents, particularly with a number of the key gamers who provide you with plenty of days out. It’s one thing that we’re continuously taking a look at… we now have performed plenty of video games with plenty of gamers lacking. That creates plenty of stress after which extra accidents. We’re on it [as an issue] and I’m actually proud of what we’re doing by way of the medical stuff and the whole lot that we try to do collectively.”
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Arteta has additionally stated that the membership have checked out how gamers heat up for video games in order that they don’t seem to be injured inadvertently.
Accidents may price Arsenal the title
Harm has compelled Bukayo Saka on the therapy desk for many of 2026 – Ian Walton/AP
When Arsenal spent about £270m on new gamers final summer season, their main intention was to construct a squad deep sufficient to deal with the accidents that inevitably happen over the course of a protracted and draining marketing campaign. Their 2024-25 season had been derailed by knocks to key males and Arsenal’s decision-makers had been decided to make sure that such a situation wouldn’t be repeated.
The technique within the switch window was subsequently to construct the depth of the squad, slightly than to considerably enhance Mikel Arteta’s beginning line-up. Of the eight gamers who joined the membership, solely Martín Zubimendi was regarded internally as a assured starter from day one.
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On account of this funding, Arsenal started the marketing campaign with maybe the strongest squad within the Premier League. When everybody is obtainable, Arteta has not less than two high-quality gamers for every place.
Because the season has progressed, although, this power in depth has been examined to the intense by repeated bodily points affecting necessary gamers – usually in positional clusters.
In complete, Arsenal gamers have missed a mixed 262 matches for membership and nation this marketing campaign, in accordance with Transfermarkt information. It has been a selected downside within the attacking positions with key figures Odegaard, Havertz and Saka. Attacking midfielder Mikel Merino, who usually excels as a striker, has additionally been absent for months after breaking his foot.
Kai Havertz has miss plenty of the season with damage and he sustained one other knock towards Newcastle final week – Izzy Poles/Getty Pictures
A comparability with Manchester Metropolis, Arsenal’s title rivals, illustrates the issue. Pep Guardiola’s facet have additionally suffered accidents, in fact, with necessary defenders and Joško Gvardiol each struggling this season, however total they’ve fared higher than Arsenal on this regard: in contrast with Arsenal’s mixed 262 missed matches, Metropolis gamers have missed a complete of 212 matches for membership and nation this season.
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Comparisons could be made between particular gamers. Havertz, Arsenal’s finest striker, has missed 37 video games this season. , Metropolis’s finest striker, has missed just one.
Odegaard, the Arsenal captain and playmaker, has missed 24 matches by way of damage. , the Metropolis captain and playmaker, has missed one.
Saka, Arsenal’s star winger, has missed 10 matches in 2026. , Metropolis’s star winger, has missed none.
Not all of Arsenal’s accidents have been muscular, with a few of them a results of unhealthy luck or opposition tackles. Odegaard, for instance, had a run of contact accidents.
However the reality stays that Arsenal have appeared jaded and under-strength for a lot of the previous few weeks, with the buildup of those varied accidents taking their toll. Metropolis, in contrast, seem to have been rising stronger because the marketing campaign has reached its decisive weeks. If Arsenal do go on to complete second to Metropolis within the Premier League title race, the distinction in bodily situation will undoubtedly be a serious motive why.