Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is facing a significant selection dilemma ahead of the club’s highly anticipated UEFA Champions League semi-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on Tuesday. This follows a disappointing 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace at the Emirates on Thursday, which has left the Gunners scrambling to get key players fit in time for the crucial fixture.
The draw with Palace saw Arsenal surrender a lead twice, with Eberechi Eze and Jean-Philippe Mateta scoring for the visitors after Jakub Kiwior and Leandro Trossard had put the Gunners in front. While the result was frustrating enough for Arteta, it was the injury concerns that truly added to his worries.
Key players, including defender Ben White and midfielder Mikel Merino, are currently sidelined, and their availability for the PSG match remains in doubt. Arteta was tight-lipped when asked about their injuries, simply stating, “We will have to wait and see, as they were not able to be in the squad here,” according to BBC Sports.
The absence of White, a regular starter in defense, and Merino, who has been filling in as a makeshift striker, raises serious concerns for Arteta. Merino, in particular, has been a key figure in Arsenal’s recent success, playing a vital role in their 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of the quarter-final. His ability to step up in attack, even when deployed out of his usual position, has been instrumental in Arsenal’s run to the semi-finals. The midfielder also scored in the first leg against Madrid, giving his team a crucial advantage heading into the second leg, where Arsenal triumphed 5-1 on aggregate.
With two of his strikers Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus already ruled out for the remainder of the season, Arteta’s options are limited, and he is now forced to make some difficult decisions. The situation is further complicated by the pressure to keep pace in the Premier League, where Liverpool’s title challenge is growing ever stronger.
Arteta will be hoping that White and Merino can make a swift recovery in time for the PSG clash, but with the clock ticking, the Arsenal boss has a race against time to get his squad fit and firing. The stakes couldn’t be higher for the Gunners, who are looking to make a strong statement in Europe while maintaining their focus on domestic ambitions.
