Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that striker Viktor Gyökeres will miss Tuesday’s Champions League encounter against Slavia Prague after suffering a muscle injury during the Gunners’ 2–0 Premier League win over Burnley.
The Swedish forward, who was substituted in the second half of the Burnley game, did not take part in training on Monday. Arteta admitted concern over the nature of the injury, given Gyökeres’ explosive playing style.
“I am concerned because he hasn’t had many muscular issues, and he had to leave the pitch feeling something,” Arteta told reporters. “That’s never a good sign, especially for a player as dynamic as he is. We’re still assessing the situation and will know more after further tests.”
The Arsenal boss confirmed that Gyökeres will not feature in the trip to Prague, saying:
“He’s definitely not available. He hasn’t trained today, and we’ll have more scans in the next few days to understand the full extent of the injury.”
Injury Crisis Deepens for Arsenal
Gyökeres’ setback adds to Arsenal’s growing list of attacking absentees, with Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke, and Martin Ødegaard all sidelined.
Despite the injury woes, Arsenal remain in scintillating form, chasing a 10th consecutive win in all competitions and an eighth straight clean sheet. Midfielder Mikel Merino, who replaced Gyökeres at Burnley, is expected to start in Prague.
The North London club, seeking their first Premier League title since 2004, currently sit six points clear of Manchester City and seven ahead of Liverpool at the top of the table.
Fixture Congestion Concerns
While Arsenal have also maintained a perfect start in the Champions League with three wins from three, their fight on multiple fronts has raised fixture congestion concerns.
Arteta voiced frustration over the scheduling after the League Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace was rescheduled to December 23. The change means both clubs will now face the challenge of playing two matches within three days, with Arsenal also set to meet Everton in the league on December 21.
“Hopefully they will move our Premier League match because playing two days later doesn’t make sense,” Arteta said. “We have seven players out that’s a lot of depth gone, especially in attack. If we keep playing every three days like this, player welfare has to be respected.”
Despite the challenges, Arsenal’s focus remains on maintaining momentum both domestically and in Europe as they continue their push for silverware on all fronts.
