Arsene Wenger Gives Update On Mikel Arteta’s Injury

Arsenal beat Wigan Athletic 4-1 in a vital clash at the Emirates on Tuesday night that now only meant the Gunners reclaim fourth spot in the table but also saw the visitors relegated to the Championship.

The result was a huge boost for Arsenal heading into the final weekend, where victory over Newcastle United at St Jame’s Park will guarantee at least fourth place and with it Champions League football next season.

However, the win came at a cost as influential midfielder Mikel Arteta was forced off in the final minutes with a calf problem and boss Arsene Wenger told Arsenal.com after the game that the Spaniard is now considered a huge doubt for Sunday’s vital clash with the Geordies.

Wenger confirmed that Arteta will be assessed over the next 24 hours and if he’s forced to miss out, it may mean a recall for Jack Wilshere – who is set for surgery at the end of the season to remove a pin in his troublesome ankle and is only able to play with the use of painkilling injections.

Here’s what the boss told the clubs official website:

on Arteta’s substitution…

he is not alright, he pulled his calf so that could be a problem for Sunday. We don’t know, we have to wait for 24 hours. He is a massive doubt for Sunday. He is very important, that is why i don’t rule him out at the moment. maybe we will have to push Wilshere in [if he doesn’t make it]. I don’t know.

It would be a huge blow if Arteta was to miss a game of such importance. While he’s not a natural defensive midfielder, he’s vital to our game and we have very little back-up options in the middle of the park in his absence.

Wilshere clearly isn’t 100% fit and it would be a big task for him to step in and play 90 minutes in such an intense game, so hopefully Mikel’s calf problem isn’t as bad as first feared and he’ll recover in time to play this weekend.

How big a miss do you think Arteta would be? Get involved in the comments section below.