Two Arsenal players doubts for Chelsea following defeat at San Siro

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has provided an update ahead of the clash with Chelsea after picking up two injuries in the match against Inter.

Mikel Arteta has confirmed that two players were injured in Wednesday’s 1-0 Champions League defeat by Inter. Arsenal play Chelsea this weekend after suffering their first UCL defeat of the season conceding a controversial first-half penalty against the Italian champions.

Arsenal traveled to the San Siro with high hopes of securing another European title and securing a place in the last eight of the Champions League. However, the defeat saw them drop further down the table and they also conceded their first goal of the season in the competition.

The decisive goal came from the penalty spot late in the first half when Mikel Merino latched onto the ball after a Mehdi Taremi deflection. Hakan Calhanoglu converted the penalty to put Inter ahead before the break.

In the second half, Arteta introduced a new tactic of sending more players forward, but Arsenal’s attacks repeatedly collapsed. Even a late cameo from returning captain Martin Odegaard failed to spark a comeback, with Arsenal leaving San Siro empty-handed and struggling to recapture their recent form.

After the defeat, Arteta revealed that first-half substitute Mikel Merino had suffered a head injury following a collision with Inter goalkeeper Jan Sommer.

“He was not concussed, but he wasn’t feeling great, and I needed him at 100%,” Arteta explained to TNT Sport.

Arteta also expressed his disappointment at Arsenal’s decision not to give Sommer a penalty for his contact with Merino.

“If that handball is a penalty, then the one where [Sommer] punches Merino in the head has to be a penalty too,” Arteta stated. “The margins in this game are very tight, and it’s difficult to accept.”

Meanwhile, Arteta confirmed that Kai Havertz suffered a “major cut” during the match, but is hopeful the midfielder will be fit enough to play in Arsenal’s clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.