Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta revealed that a groin issue kept his midfielder out of the matchday squad for the club's Premier League opener against Coventry City on Friday night, as the Gunners began their pursuit of a repeat league title.
The player had been withdrawn at half-time during a pre-season fixture against Cardiff and was later seen with ice strapped to his thigh, raising concerns about his fitness heading into the new campaign. Speaking before kickoff at the Emirates Stadium, Arteta addressed the situation directly.
"He had a slight tension in his groin. He hasn't done a pre-season, he only had four or five days before that [Man City] game," Arteta said. "We have to take a lot of new stuff for him as well. We need to take it bit by bit."
The manager's comments suggest a cautious approach will be taken with the player's return, given his limited preparation time following a shortened close-season schedule.
With the midfielder sidelined, Declan Rice was handed his first start of the summer, lining up alongside Myles Lewis-Skelly in Arsenal's engine room. The pairing offers both experience and energy as Arteta looks to build momentum from the opening weeks of the season.
Elsewhere in the starting eleven, Bukayo Saka was included despite having played minimal football since the World Cup. The winger sat out the entirety of pre-season and made only a brief 30-minute appearance off the bench during Arsenal's victory over Manchester City. Nevertheless, Arteta opted to trust his key attacker from the outset against Coventry, choosing him ahead of both Noni Madueke and teenage prospect Max Dowman for the assignment.
The decision to fast-track Saka into first-team action, despite his light workload, underlines the importance Arteta places on his contribution as Arsenal begin defending their league crown.
Away from the starting lineup, several players found themselves excluded from proceedings entirely. Gabriel Martinelli was left out of the matchday squad altogether, with speculation continuing to swirl around his long-term future at the club. The Brazilian winger's omission comes amid growing uncertainty regarding whether he will remain part of Arteta's plans going forward.
Also absent were Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, and Reiss Nelson, none of whom were included in the squad. Reports indicate the club is actively seeking to move all three players on before the transfer window closes, suggesting their Arsenal careers may be drawing to a close barring a change of circumstances.
In contrast, young forward Ethan Nwaneri did earn a place among the substitutes for the Coventry clash. However, his inclusion in the squad does not necessarily signal a change in Arsenal's broader strategy regarding his development. It is understood the club remains open to sending him out on loan at some stage during the season, viewing regular first-team football elsewhere as potentially beneficial for his growth.
With injury concerns, squad rotation decisions, and ongoing questions about several fringe players, Arsenal's opening-night preparations reflected the broader challenges of navigating a congested transfer window while simultaneously launching a title defense. Arteta's selections and comments offered a window into how he intends to balance fitness management with tactical needs as the season gets underway.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.