Every word Mikel Arteta said on Arsenal injuries, Liverpool title aim, Odegaard and Hincapie

Mikel Arteta addressed the media ahead of Arsenal’s match with Liverpool. He was in a jovial mood before the press conference started, and very engaging with the media in the room.

However, it was straight down to business and with a particular focus on injuries too. Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard might all be out of the match this weekend.

Yet there was a boost as Ben White, Christian Norgaard, and Martin Odegaard face late fitness tests. Here is everything that the manager said ahead of the Premier League title-defining clash.

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Bukayo?

Yeah, we're getting better, but it will be out for a few weeks, unfortunately.

What is it? Is it hamstring?

Yeah.

No surgery required?

No, no surgery. It's not as bad as the previous one. Obviously, very unfortunate to kick it off, he's on the other side. It's an action that requires full power from him. Then he clashed with the opponent, he needs to change pace again. And he felt something, so it will be out for a couple of weeks.

So do you hope, and I know you don't know because you're not a doctor, but do you hope that when you resume club football, he might be available?

I don't know. Let's see how he evolves in the next few days, few weeks. Repeat the scan and see where he's at.

And with Martin, he's obviously been selected for his national squad. What's the situation with him?

We don't know yet. He hasn't trained yet. And if he does, it will be tomorrow. He's doing everything he can, we're doing everything that we can to make him available, but we'll have to wait and see tomorrow.

So that's definitely not serious, Martin's injury?

No, there's an injury there, but hopefully if everything goes well, he can cope with it. But we don't know yet.

So with Kai Havertz, we know he's had surgery. Is that weeks rather than months before he should recover?

I think it will be weeks, but I don't know how many months. Very unfortunate, very sad for him. I think he did tremendously well to recover from the previous one. He's never had an injury before. And suddenly this happens, but this is our profession, our football. We need to live with that. Obviously, we lose another big player for many, many weeks. But it was the right thing to do. The doctors advised and I think he was very convinced at the end that it was the quickest and the best way to resolve that issue.

You did mention the word months there, so it could be months.

Every time there is a surgery you expect something like this. I'll leave that for the medical staff to explain in detail what it was. But hopefully the most important thing is when he gets back he's in good condition and maybe in a long time he'll be protected by the players.

How disappointing is that? Three big names, three big important names.

It's the start of the season and we lost three of our main players. But that's the reality. A very unfortunate situation, three very different situations. But that's why we keep insisting, like everybody else, we need a big squad to be able to cope and sustain the level.

And if that's not enough, Ben and Christian I guess are still doubts.

So that's another two that we don't know yet. Again tomorrow we have another day, let's see how they evolve. And this is a chance to keep them involved in the game.

On the brighter side, Eze has had a great week's training, fitted in really well. Tell us about his first week here.

Yeah, really impressed with him. I heard a lot of things about him. I spoke to a lot of people about him. Really bright. Very special energy, a special aura around him. Really willing, he's already gathering a lot of information, the things that we want to see on that pitch. But especially make sure that he has the freedom and the capacity to express his quality, which is the reason why we brought him here.

Even more so than you'd heard in terms of his character, his personality. A great guy.

Yes, very impressed with him.

So straight in then, given the situation with Martin potentially, as a number 10 at Anfield.

We have options in that position, and that's a good thing that we have this year. So let's see, as I said, another day. And I'm not going to give you any clues, obviously.

The fact that he adds to your ability to be unpredictable, that's one of the reasons you want to be here, I guess.

Sure, and we have a lot of players now that can play in different positions, and they can fulfil gaps when we have them. And looking at the start of the season that we already had with injuries, that's going to be very necessary. So I'm very happy to have the ability to do that.

Hincapie. His name's been linked with you before the window closes. Bayer Leverkusen. Again, you know the fact that he's versatile. He's the kind of player you like.

You know the answer to that. I cannot talk about players that are not part of our squad.

Well, let's ask you a supercomputer question before I finish.

Okay, sure.

The supercomputer tells me that it's the first time in eight years that the top two teams the season before have faced each other so early in the season. It's the earliest for eight years. Is that a shame? Should it have been later in the season? Would you have preferred it later in the season?

It is what it is. We have to play them. They are the champions. They are champions for a reason because they deserve to be champions. They were the better team last year, the most consistent one. They want to find ways to win in many different ways. We want to beat that team this year. We need to go to Anfield with that spirit and that conviction.

Obviously, you've seen Eze in training for a week. All of us are very aware of his qualities and what he can bring to a team. From the little you have seen, what do you feel he'll add to this squad?

First of all, his energy. I think when you are next to him, you are comfortable. He's got a big smile. He picks things. He asks you the right questions. Then, just him flowing above and the ability he has to pick passes, to drive past people effortless and just to understand the timing of things. Very impressive.

I know it's early in the season, and you talk about the standards that Arsenal has needing to win every game. How much does tomorrow feel like a season-defining game to put a marker down, given how close Arsenal has been in the last few seasons?

A very important one, obviously. You want to continue building the momentum that we are in right now, and going to those grounds, those stadiums, against this kind of opposition is what we want. Coming from those big games, winning in a really convincing way. That's the objective.

Of course, you got the draw against Liverpool last season, both home and away. I'm sure you're aware of the stat that the last time Arsenal won Anfield, because when you were a part of the team, I think it was 2012. What do you feel needs to change to try and get that win this time around?

Be better than we've been in those games, more efficient and do what we've done with many other stats that we've had, even for longer, before. Just go there and be convinced that we can go to Anfield and win.

And you feel that?

Yeah.

Mikel, Arne Slot has been talking about the subtle differences to the way that your team plays now, with a kind of out-and-out No. 9 up top. They've made a lot of transfers this summer and they've changed things up top. Is there any differences you've noticed to the way Liverpool play and the way you're going to approach the game?

Yes, because I think the individual characteristics at the end is what it changed most for the both teams. It's clear that a certain player was in the ball in certain areas with different qualities. The outcome is going to be different. They've made a lot of signings, really good signings. They keep the ball in the squad like we've done as well. So, a big match ahead.

You described the United game as a bit of a basketball match. At Anfield there's a chance for there to be opportunities that you're in control and they're in control. There's going to be a lot of counter-attacks. You've signed some players like Viktor and Ebere who suit moments in transition. Did you specifically target players like that that would be good for these moments where you're going to hit teams on the counter?

We have to add players that add value to things that can define football matches. And those two, they have the ability at the end to make the final action in many ways. To finish with the ball in the back of the net, which is the outcome that we want in every action that we have in our attacking phase. And those two, they're going to add this individual action, magic moments, and that's what we need to win games.

27 injuries last season. I think seven players have already been missing this season, which must be a big pain. Does it ever make you look internally? Is there anything more Arsenal can do for those situations to try and mitigate that? Or do you kind of accept that it's part of the volume of matches clubs play these days?

No, first of all, we have to analyse what we do. That's for sure. I think in the previous season we were there. We had the best record in the Premier League. The following season we had one of the worst as well because the extent, not the amount, but the extent of the injuries of certain players, especially Tomiyasu, Gabi Jesús, the long-term injuries we have with the hamstring injuries. So, yeah, we have looked at everything. We are continually monitoring and evolving the needs of the players and the schedule. But unfortunately, we picked very diverse injuries again. Probably some of them were very unexpected.

Worry about keeping players happy with your depth?

Worry? No, I think the word is that I care that everybody is as happy as they possibly can be. That's a big part of my job, our job at the end, to make sure that every player feels that he's fulfilling his potential and he's doing what he loves the most, which is to play football. So far, with the squad that we have and the five, six, seven injuries that we already have, we haven't had many problems to make the squad, but with everybody available, that will be a different scenario. But we're going to have to live with that and that's why that competition is going to raise the level for everybody.

Could Gabriel Martinelli leave before Monday?

No, and I think Gabi's been a super important player for us and is going to remain to be very, very, very important. And the fact that we have options with different qualities is going to fulfill what we want because every opponent is going to require different things. And then the state, the moment, the way that those players are impacting the game and that competition is needed. We're having many other areas on the pitch and it's needed, especially in the front line, to start the game and to finish the game. So I'm very happy with what we have.

Are Liverpool considered the favourites to win the league this year?

Well, I think the favourite is always the one that won the previous year. And that's it. And somebody else has to come and take that crown away from them. And that's what I suppose the rest of us are going to try to do. We've already started with the first two games in the Premier League. And that's the end. It can't be better than that.

Is it a concern to you that Bukayo Saka has now injured both hamstrings.

Yes, it is, obviously. A big one. Especially when we talk about a sprinter, a player that gets into that zone very often in a football match that needs that burst, that change of rhythm, of pace. To be as threatening as possible. But, yeah, we will learn again what happened, make him stronger. And unfortunately, injuries are part of your career. He hasn't had that many to be fair with the amount of games that he's played at his age. But it's something that we want to eradicate for sure.

Who is in leadership group now that Jorginho has left the club?

I think at some point it will come out. There are a few players, a few names. Very happy with the outcome. The way it was done as well. I think it's a very good reflection of the group

Is Eberechi Eze a throwback to Santi Cazorla and Tomas Rosicky?

Yeah, they have a different feel of the ball, you know, and everything glides and moves so smoothly. They are beautiful to watch, the way they carry the ball, the way they take touches, the way they turn. And Eze, for sure, is good this time.