The Gunners are coping without a number of players during the festive period with Mikel Arteta delivering an update ahead of a test against in-form Aston Villa

Mikel Arteta has warned that Arsenal must show more composure to close out games after his team secured a nervy 2-1 win over Brighton on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta provides an injury update on Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori, who were both absent against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta slammed Arsenal's display as "unacceptable" after a chaotic late win over bottom-placed Wolves, admitting his title-chasing side made life far harder than necessary before scraping a stoppage-time victory through a second own goal.

Mikel Arteta has teased that Kai Havertz could be back on the pitch in Arsenal shirt in “a matter of days,” having missed the last four months with a knee injury. Havertz, who missed three months last season because of a torn hamstring, hasn’t played since a 30-minute substitute appearance against Manchester United on the opening day of 2025–26.

Arsenal ignored their defensive injury crisis to return to the top of the Premier League with a tense 2-1 win against Brighton on Saturday.

Arsenal are edging closer to a significant injury lift after Mikel Arteta confirmed Kai Havertz is on the brink of returning to action. The German forward, absent since undergoing knee surgery in August,