Arsenal injuries were ‘waiting to happen’ as Mikel Arteta fires warning over player welfare

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Arsenal face Leicester City at the King Power Stadium knowing they will have to dig deep in order to secure three vital points.

Arsenal will want to bounce back from their disappointing performance in the Carabao Cup semi final defeat to Newcastle but have been rocked during their mid-season break to Dubai.

Kai Havertz requires surgery on a hamstring injury that will mean he misses the rest of the season and Gabriel Martinelli is also out for over a month with a similar problem.

The Gunners had a gruelling fixture schedule in January with nine games in the month and the workload has certainly taken its toll on the Arsenal squad.

READ MORE: What Declan Rice has already said about playing as Arsenal’s striker is now very interesting after Kai Havertz’s injury

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal injuries were ‘waiting to happen’ amid fixture schedule

Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Leicester in the Premier League, boss Mikel Arteta has been discussing the injury crisis at the club and how the amount of games has impacted on his players.

Arteta stated: “Some of them (injuries) we know are based on load and minutes, it is inevitable, so we have players that have been injured that have played 130 games over the last two seasons.”

The Gunners boss explained that it was a problem across football and not just his own side and sent a powerful message to those in charge of the game.

Arteta stated: “It was an accident waiting to happen you know if you continue to load and load and load and this season it is an accumulation of that.”

Arsenal will adapt style amid injury absentees

Arsenal will go into the clash with Leicester with just three recognised forward players and Arteta has admitted that his side will have to adapt their style.

Arteta stated: “We will have moments I think, in relation to the opposition’s qualities and the intentions that they have and our availability, hopefully we will be better and better in the next few weeks.”

It is expected that Raheem Sterling will start for Arsenal and it is now down to Arteta as to whether he chooses the England international or Leandro Trossard in the central striker position.

Whoever is chosen, the Gunners know they are going to have to adapt their playing style without the physical presence of Havertz up top.