Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard And Kai Havertz Lead Arsenal’s Fit Trio As Defensive Injury Concerns Linger
Arsenal’s attacking trio of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, and Kai Havertz have all started the season fit, giving Mikel Arteta genuine reason for optimism.
The three players started only one league game together between December 2024 and the beginning of this season, a remarkable absence spanning nearly two years.
All three have now started each of Arsenal’s opening games this season as the club begin defending their title with three consecutive wins.
The trio have already combined for six goals this season, a fast-improving tally compared to their collective struggles with fitness in the previous campaign.
Last season, the three managed just 10 league goals combined, with Saka responsible for seven of them despite his own fitness difficulties.
Odegaard played 60-plus minutes in only 11 Premier League games last season, while Havertz managed that mark in just five appearances.
Given that last season’s success had to rest so heavily on Arsenal’s defensive structure, it is notable that the back line has taken the brunt of early-season injuries.
William Saliba entered the new campaign sidelined after a back fracture suffered during the World Cup, having managed the problem for months before it finally gave way.
Arteta remains cautious about a return timeline, saying: “We don’t really know the amount of weeks he’s going to be out because it’s about a healing process and everything is a bit different.”
The manager added: “The progression has been really positive in the last few weeks, but we need to wait and see how that one reacts when we start to put some load into it.”
November has reportedly been pencilled in as a potential return window for Saliba, though the club have stressed there are no guarantees on that schedule.
Jurrien Timber continues his recovery from a persistent groin problem that has troubled him since March, with a small procedure performed over the summer to address the issue.
Arteta said of Timber ahead of the Chelsea match: “He’s in really good condition at the moment, he’s been a few weeks on the pitch and has been training with us, so he’s in a really good place.”
Timber was ultimately not included in the squad for the Chelsea fixture but could feature at Sunderland or in the Champions League opener against Napoli this week.
Cristhian Mosquera also missed the Chelsea game after picking up a hamstring problem during the match against Aston Villa, though Arteta described the substitution as precautionary at the time.
Bruno Guimaraes suffered a groin issue during the Community Shield final against Manchester City and was unable to recover fully in time for the season opener.
The Brazilian returned against Aston Villa before picking up another knock when introduced from the bench, though he was back in the squad for the Chelsea fixture without featuring.
Over the summer, Arsenal overhauled their medical department in a deliberate attempt to address the injury problems that have plagued the club in recent seasons.
The impact of those changes is yet to be fully measured, but the early signs are encouraging with a deeper squad now available to help manage player workloads.
With more options across the pitch, Arsenal appear better equipped to avoid the fatigue-related injuries that undermined their efforts so significantly throughout last season.
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