Mikel Arteta hints Arsenal could make drastic change to pre-match routine amid spate of injuries

The Italian defender was injured in the warm-up for the second time in 2025-26 as he withdrew from the XI to face Wigan in the FA Cup. He was also forced out of the Premier League game against Brighton in December due to a similar muscular issue. The same fate befell Bukayo Saka in the lead-up to the league meeting with Leeds earlier in February, while William Saliba suffered an ankle problem before the clash with Liverpool back in August.

As a result of that spate of problems, Arteta has admitted that Arsenal are looking closely at their pre-match routine.

Asked if it was something that was being scrutinised internally ahead of facing Wolves in midweek, the Spanish tactician said: "Yeah, yeah, big time. They were very different. The first one was Willy when he rolled his ankle against Liverpool. Then we had two incidents with Riccy in the warmup in a really similar way.

"The other one was Bukayo after he rested in midweek, he didn't play against Kairat, and then against Leeds he gets an injury. Very unusual. Probably happened once or twice in six years I have been here and it happened four times there.

"So obviously we are looking at it. On Willy's one, very difficult to see. Sometimes as well you want to try and test a player before to see if they are ready and the warmup is another opportunity to do it. Bukayo's is very random because he never gave any symptoms or signals away that this could happen in the warm-up. It is what it is, we have to learn."

Arteta suggested Arsenal could even scrap the traditional warm-up altogether in what would be a drastic measure.

"I was a player as well and we like certain routines and that's the way you tell your body 'it is coming, it is coming, it is coming'," he continued. "To change that sometimes is tricky. It is a really good area to have a look. What would happen if we don't do the warmup? Because then, at half-time, we go and sit almost for 15 minutes and then go full gas in the second half. Maybe it is something to think about."

The Gunners boss revealed that the recent injury issues in warm-ups has given him anxiety that it might happen every game, although he believes he has learned from the experiences. "I can feel in my body I am more aware of it," he added. When I am in the office and the moment I hear my door, somebody steps in, I am like 'no, please' because it is a moment that is very tricky.

"When you change Riccy for Bukayo, you have to change a lot of things within that gameplan: positions, there's a lot of things that are different and you have two minutes to do that.

"It makes you a better coach because you have to be 'what if, what ifs' and there are more and more what ifs just before the game and then a lot during the game so you need to be more prepared."

Arteta will hope to avoid any pre-match injuries when his side travel to face Wolves on Wednesday night in the league, as bottom host top.