Arsenal won a ticket to the 5th round of the FA Cup with a 4-0 victory over Wigan at home at the Emirates. However, this was an incomplete victory for the Gunners. Riccardo Calafiori was injured during warm-up and could not start from the beginning, while Ben White was forced to leave the field in the second half.
Previously, captain Martin Odegaard suffered a minor injury. Kai Havertz will be absent for at least until the end of this month and Mikel Merino is expected to be out for the rest of the season after undergoing foot surgery.
When asked if he was worried that his squad was becoming thinner, Arteta replied: "Yes. Before were the forwards, then the defenders and now the injured midfielders.
We are managing that situation. But we need some players to return and be healthy, not only to have enough troops but also to have more different options depending on the upcoming opponent, so the sooner they return, the better.
Arsenal, currently leading the Premier League with 4 points more than Man City, will host Wolves at Molineux in the middle of next week, before facing Tottenham in the North London derby.
Arsenal still has a chance to win fours this season. Therefore, having a stable force and high form is very important. In the 4-0 win over Wigan, Eberechi Eze, a contract worth 92.6 million USD from Crystal Palace, played well when he assisted the first 2 goals for his team. Previously, Eze faced much criticism for his fluctuating form.
Arteta admitted: "Players like Eze need moments of brilliance. With creative players, they need to feel that they are creating great moments. I am very happy about that. In terms of spirit, in terms of confidence, that is really a good thing.
The risks he accepts in the attacking area and the number of shots he tries to take, that is really positive and that is what we want from him. He has played an important role. He has played many matches for Arsenal. And he will continue to do that".
