The Gunners travel to Anfield this weekend to face Liverpool, who will receive a guard of honour as newly crowned Premier League champions. For Arsenal, the match marks a sobering end to a season that once held promise but was ultimately defined by injury setbacks and missed opportunities.
Following their midweek Champions League semi-final exit to Paris Saint-Germain, Arteta opened up about the challenges his team has faced throughout the campaign.
"We knew from the beginning that our squad was super short," Arteta admitted. "And within that, we had players who had a high probability of getting injured, based on their history. We were aware of it-but couldn't do anything about it."
Injuries to key figures such as Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, and Ben White disrupted rhythm throughout the season, while long-term absences for Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Takehiro Tomiyasu further depleted the squad. By contrast, Liverpool maintained impressive consistency, with ten of their outfield players appearing in over 30 league matches.
Arteta credited the Merseyside club's infrastructure and stability: "They managed to maintain consistency - player availability, a clear system, a manager, and a stadium atmosphere that's been relentless. You need all those ingredients to win the Premier League."
Despite falling short domestically and in Europe, Arteta remains defiant, highlighting that Arsenal were the Premier League's sole representative in the Champions League semi-finals-a notable achievement amid adversity.
"I don't want to use injuries as an excuse," he said. "We play in the best league in the world, and we were the only English team in the Champions League semi-finals. That says something about the level of the team."
Arsenal are expected to be active in the coming transfer window. ESPN previously reported that a deal for Real Sociedad midfielder Martín Zubimendi is close, despite late interest from Real Madrid. Additionally, the club is targeting a new striker, with Red Bull Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko, Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres, and Newcastle United's Alexander Isak all under consideration.
"We will do everything we can to improve the squad," Arteta said. "That includes strengthening the players we already have, and taking advantage of opportunities the market presents."
As another campaign winds down without silverware, Arsenal's ambitions for next season are already in motion-and with reinforcements on the horizon, Arteta will be determined not to face the same squad challenges again.
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