Arsenal go five points clear but fresh injuries cloud title push

December 4, 2025 Oliver Obel

Arsenal tightened their hold on the top of the Premier League on Wednesday night, but the victory came with a familiar sting. Their 2–0 win over Brentford should have been a routine boost to a confident title push; instead, it left Mikel Arteta watching two more first-team players join an already crowded treatment room.

The Emirates crowd celebrated the result but fell noticeably quiet when first Cristian (or Cristhian, pending club listing) Mosquera, and later Declan Rice, signaled they could not continue. For a side already juggling absences in central defense, the timing was far from ideal.

A win that raised as many questions as it answered

According to GIVEMESPORT, Arsenal opened the scoring early through Mikel Merino and sealed the points when Bukayo Saka added a stoppage-time finish. The three points restored a five-point cushion at the summit and reflected a largely controlled performance.

But with William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães still unavailable, the game also underlined the fragility of the squad’s defensive depth. Mosquera—who has been asked to cover in their absence—went down late in the first half after an awkward aerial challenge. His reaction was immediate: a brief attempt to stand, a shake of the head, and a slow walk toward the tunnel. Jurrien Timber replaced him for the remainder of the match.

Rice’s situation unfolded differently. After weeks of heavy minutes and little rotation, he pulled up while covering a Brentford counterattack in the 83rd minute. He gestured to the bench almost instantly, a sign that the discomfort was more than a passing cramp. Supporters groaned; Arteta turned away from the touchline with a scowl.

Early indications from injury analysts

GIVEMESPORT highlighted preliminary observations from a football injury analyst on X, posting under @physioscout, who shared an initial reading of Rice’s issue:

https://twitter.com/physioscout/status/1996334791386636453?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1996334791386636453%7Ctwgr%5E94edebacd5e5b54bff2bd6136a53aa457bb9b68e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.givemesport.com%2Finjury-expert-predicts-declan-rice-mosquera-out-arsenal%2F

A similar early verdict was offered regarding Mosquera’s knock, suggesting the setback may not be as dramatic as it initially appeared:

https://twitter.com/physioscout/status/1996326807394722176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1996326807394722176%7Ctwgr%5E94edebacd5e5b54bff2bd6136a53aa457bb9b68e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.givemesport.com%2Finjury-expert-predicts-declan-rice-mosquera-out-arsenal%2F

While both updates point toward relatively short recoveries—weeks, not months—Arsenal will wait for medical scans before setting expectations. The fixture list leaves little breathing room: a trip to Aston Villa on Saturday and a Champions League visit to Club Brugge follow in quick succession.

Arteta: “We need more time between games”

After the match, Arteta acknowledged the reality of the situation with rare bluntness. He said it was “never good news” to lose players mid-game and that the club hopes for clarity “tomorrow” once assessments are complete.

He also emphasized the strain of the congested schedule, noting that Rice “can walk, but he cannot play,” and reiterated his long-standing plea for more time between fixtures to protect player welfare.

The manager suggested Saliba and Gabriel could return “within days,” but even with reinforcements potentially on the way, Wednesday’s injuries force more short-term reshuffling.

Arsenal left the pitch with another clean sheet and another three points, yet the storyline remains frustratingly familiar: the title race may hinge not just on performances, but on who Arteta can keep available.

Source: GIVEMESPORT