Arsenal head into their upcoming Premier League away fixture against Sunderland with momentum, but also with caution. According to team-news reports, head coach Mikel Arteta revealed that one of his “exceptional” players is unlikely to feature not just in the upcoming midweek Champions League tie but also for this weekend’s trip to the Stadium of Light. 

Furthermore, the early team-news for the Sunderland match lists multiple absentees and major doubts. The article from a Sunderland-local source states: “Three doubts, nine out: the early Sunderland and Arsenal team news … Arteta has revealed that Viktor Gyökeres is an injury doubt” for the Sunderland game, which could leave Arsenal light in attack for an important Premier League fixture. 

Arsenal’s injury list continues to grow, particularly in attacking positions, which has caused serious concern for Arteta. Swedish forward Viktor Gyökeres suffered a muscle injury in the recent 2-0 win at Burnley, and Arteta confirmed that he did not travel for the away Champions League fixture in Prague because “he’s definitely not available” and more scans are required to determine the extent of the problem.

In addition to Gyökeres, Arsenal are facing absences across the squad: the boss has admitted concern that the number of muscular issues is unusually high, particularly given how key those players are. This puts pressure on the squad depth ahead of major fixtures—in both the Premier League and Europe. 

In their away ­Champions League match against Slavia Prague, Arsenal produced a dominant 3-0 win, maintaining a perfect group-stage record (4 wins from 4) and recording yet another clean sheet. The goals came via a penalty from Bukayo Saka and a brace from Mikel Merino—who stepped in as a make-shift forward in the absence of Gyökeres. 

Moreover, a historic moment occurred when 15-year-old Max Dowman came on as a substitute, becoming the youngest player ever to appear in a Champions League match. He replaced Leandro Trossard late in the game.