The international break can often be an awkward time for teams like Arsenal, as they hope their stars play well and come back to the club in top condition.
That hasn’t always been the case for Mikel Arteta, who has been dealt a rough hand in the past when it comes to injury luck.
Given the current length of the Arsenal injury list, there will certainly be fingers crossed in North London that no other issues are picked up over the next few days as players come towards the end of their time away.
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Fortunately for Arteta and Arsenal, one star has already been protected by Thomas Tuchel ahead of an important England fixture, coming as a huge boost.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta smiling during a game against Wolves in the Premier League
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Arsenal star Myles Lewis-Skelly kept out of the England squad to protect fitness amid injury crisis
Arsenal’s injury issues are being felt across the board right now, as William Saliba and Bukayo Saka are the latest two to join the list of absentees.
With some key stars still featuring for their national teams, there is plenty of hope that they won’t be joining the medical staff in the treatment room.
Among those are four England aces, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
All of them started in England’s win over Andorra, with eyes firmly fixed on the following game away at Serbia.
With that in mind, Sky Sports reports that Lewis-Skelly won’t be part of the England squad featuring on Tuesday night.
🗣️"A tactical and physical decision to leave Myles Lewis-Skelly out"
Rob Dorsett provides the latest team news ahead of England's World Cup qualifier away in Serbia tonight🏴 pic.twitter.com/QuvkXCXGqK
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) September 9, 2025
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It’s claimed that the decision is both tactical and physical, with it being stated that the player’s workload is being kept in mind.
Lewis-Skelly completed 90 minutes for the first time this season when he featured for England against Andorra.
The lack of time on the pitch so far this season may suggest he isn’t quite ready to play back-to-back games over the span of just a few days.
It’s a protective measure from Tuchel and the England team to ensure the 18-year-old can stay fit, but it’s something that Arteta will love too.
He’ll be hoping that Rice, Eze and Madueke can avoid injuries if they are to feature, but it shows the lengths to which the national team are prioritising the long-term benefits of the players.
It marks a bit of a contrast to the previous experiences Arteta has had over the international breaks.
England v Andorra - FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier
Photo by Matt Lewis – The FA/The FA via Getty Images
Arsenal’s previous concerns with international duty
The international break hasn’t always brought about good fortune for Arsenal when it comes to injuries.
Last season, there was a huge blow when Martin Odegaard picked up an ankle injury with Norway, leaving him out of action for months on end.
Tensions have risen in the past between Arsenal and national teams, such as Brazil, who named injured players to check on their condition.
Tuchel himself hit out at injury suggestions surrounding Declan Rice and his fitness, suggesting Arsenal shouldn’t expect help with managing him, as the club themselves fielded him in a game that was a formality.
This time, though, the national team have put the player’s interests first, as Lewis-Skelly will get a chance to rest before returning for the next run of fixtures in the league.