Arsenal have now suffered an injury blow, with an important player, who Mikel Arteta recently called "tremendous", set for a prolonged spell on the sidelines.
Gunners struggling on the injury front
The Gunners remain top of the Premier League table, but the sheer number of injuries they've had to deal with could hamper their ambitions of winning the title, with the likes of Bukayo Saka, Vikor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and William Saliba already spending time on the treatment table this season.
When asked whether overtraining is the explanation for why so many players have been injured, however, Arteta said: "No, because we don't have time to train.
"Today we've done 20 minutes, so surely it's not because we over-trained the players.
"But obviously when you are missing players, you are loading other players and there is a consequence to that, and it's a really dangerous circle."
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reacts-1
The manager may need to work out the root cause of the issue sooner rather than later, considering another important player recently sustained an injury, namely Ben White, with the defender being withdrawn in the first half in the 2-1 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
There has now been a new update on White's injury, with a report from The Sun revealing he will be sidelined for at least one month, having sustained a hamstring injury in the narrow victory against the Old Gold.
With Cristhian Mosquera already out due to an ankle problem, and Gabriel still not returning to training after suffering a thigh issue, the latest news is a real blow for Arteta, heading into a busy period, with four games penciled in before 2026.
The £50m defender has struggled with persistent injury problems since last season, and the latest issue means Jurrien Timber is set to be given the nod at right-back against Everton on Saturday.
Real Madrid's Rodrygo celebrates scoring their first goal Related
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The Gunners are closely monitoring a Real Madrid ace.
Arteta will be frustrated to lose "tremendous" White
The Gunners have already had to make do without Saliba and Gabriel at times this season, which will have been disappointing for Arteta, considering the duo are regarded as two of the best defenders in the Premier League.
White perhaps isn't quite at that level, having spent the majority of the current campaign on the bench, but the Arsenal boss recently suggested he was starting to show glimpses of his former self, saying: "I'm very happy that we have him back in the best version of himself as well. And we're going to need him because he's a tremendous player."
The Englishman was particularly impressive in the 2-0 victory against Brentford, assisting Mikel Merino's opening goal and making six tackles in the 2-0 victory.
The 28-year-old is a great asset to Arteta due to his versatility, with the former Brighton man able to slot in at right-back and centre-back, so it is incredibly frustrating to lose him heading into the busy festive period.