Arsenal kicked off 2026 exactly how Mikel Arteta would have drawn it up, a 3-2 win away at Bournemouth in a game that lurched between chaos and control at the Vitality Stadium. Importantly, there were no new injury setbacks to report from the fixture. Declan Rice, who had been a surprise inclusion after a knee problem sustained against Brighton, lasted the full 90 minutes without issue.
Rice’s previous knock had ruled him out of the 4-1 victory over Aston Villa before New Year’s Eve, and had left Arsenal fans braced for his absence on the south coast. Instead, his late fitness gamble paid off, a reminder that not all Arsenal injury updates arrive wrapped in pessimism.
But while Rice came through unscathed, other key names were still absent, shaping selection decisions and raising questions about return timelines.
Riccardo Calafiori
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One of the biggest talking points in the latest Arsenal injury update centres on Riccardo Calafiori, who did not travel with the squad to face Bournemouth. The Italian defender suffered what Arteta described as a “very awkward” and “very awkward” and “very awkward” injury in the run-up to the Brighton match, a problem labelled “very awkward” in the build-up, forcing the manager to confirm he would be unavailable.
With Calafiori sidelined, summer arrival Piero Hincapie filled in at left-back, after academy talent Myles Lewis-Skelly had stepped in previously against Brighton. The reshuffle has worked, but it is far from Arsenal’s ideal long-term plan.
Potential return date: January 8 vs Liverpool (H)
Photo IMAGO
Cristhian Mosquera
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Another summer signing, Cristhian Mosquera, remains out following a “complicated” ankle injury, according to Mikel Arteta. The former Valencia centre-back has been missing since early December, first sitting out the 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa, a blow that was initially expected to be short-term, before Arteta confirmed the diagnosis was far worse than feared.
“He’s going to be out for weeks unfortunately, it’s much more than what we expected,” Arteta said last month.
That admission emphasised the uncertainty around Mosquera’s recovery and the cautious approach Arsenal are taking. His return will be carefully managed, particularly given the club’s push across multiple competitions.
Potential return date: January 17 vs Nottingham Forest (A)
Max Dowman
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Arsenal’s injury list extends beyond senior stars. Teenage midfielder Max Dowman picked up an ankle injury in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Manchester United in December. Scans confirmed the issue, but surgery has not been required, offering some relief about the long-term prognosis.
“With Max, unfortunately, he picked up an injury, so we did some scans and he is going to be out,” Arteta said last month.
Dowman has since been removed from Arsenal’s Champions League squad to make room for the returning Gabriel Jesus, and is not expected back until February 2026. It is a setback for one of Arsenal’s brightest youth prospects, but the club will prioritise patience over pace in his rehabilitation.
Potential return date: February 2026