Arsenal

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We are getting to the stage of the season where every Premier League team is managing injuries in their squad as the sheer volume and intensity of games begins to take its toll.

But who has been most affected by injuries across the campaign so far?

Ben Dinnery, from Premier Injuries Limited, has provided the data below, showing the number of domestic injuries each top-flight team has suffered, defined by a player missing at least one Premier League game.

The data has been taken from the opening weekend up to and including 18 March.

Despite this table listing domestic injuries, it is unsurprising that the top three of Arsenal, Chelsea and Aston Villa have all competed in European competition, with the Gunners still fighting on four fronts and the Blues also coming off the back of a much-shortened pre-season following their Club World Cup victory.

Perhaps more surprisingly, however, is the fact Arsenal's 31 domestic injuries so far comfortably leads the way, illustrating the strength and depth available to Mikel Arteta to still have his side nine points clear at the top of the table.

The graphic below shows Tottenham lead the way for days missed by injured players, illustrating the issues faced by Thomas Frank, who had to cope with long-term absentees including Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison.

Both West Ham and Brentford are in the bottom three for domestic injuries and days missed through those injuries, while Arsenal and Villa are in the top three for both.

Chelsea drop down the table when looking at days missed, showing they have predominately suffered from short absences spread throughout the squad.

It is worth pointing out that Newcastle's two longest absences this season - Emil Krafth (120 days) and Yoane Wissa (88 days), who had not yet even trained with his new side, resulted from injuries picked up on international duty and are not factored into the figures.

Pundits Nedum Onouha, Stephen Warnock and Guillem Balague join host Kelly Cates to bring you the action and talking points from the Champions League lat-16 second legs.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Man City 1-2 (1-5) Real Madrid

• Arsenal 2-0 (3-1) Bayer Leverkusen

• Newcastle 7-2 (8-3) Barcelona

• Liverpool 4-0 (4-1) Galatasary

Chris Howard
Fan writer

We were told by Crystal Palace fans that Eberechi Eze comes alive in the 'business end' of the season, but sometimes unless you see things with your own eyes, you never really believe it.

If his performance in the away leg was all touches and little end product, this was a very obvious step-up from a man who Thomas Tuchel might be eyeing up for a starting place in the England squad, at this rate.

His goal yesterday was, quite simply, sensational. It was a goal worthy of winning every game, and his celebration afterwards was too cold.

All Arsenal fans have been behind him; we feel a sense of 'living through another's actions' when we see a boyhood Arsenal fan doing the business for his club. We can picture ourselves in that position and the joy of that ball hitting the net.

But none of us are Eze; his ball striking has so much power in it, it really is something to watch live and in the flesh. We saw it against Mansfield, but that can be easily dismissed given the inferior opposition.

In the Champions League, it was a stubborn and decent opponent in Leverkusen, and it always felt as though something would need to happen to break the deadlock against a Leverkusen keeper who was playing a blinder until that point.

Eze stepped up. One touch to set, then 'BANG'.

Given we've been told repeatedly how Arsenal don't play exciting football, that it isn't great to watch, this was one that flew in the face of such accusations. It was a brilliant finish on a night in which Arsenal set themselves up - confidence-wise - perfectly for the League Cup on Sunday. Bring it on.

Find more from Chris Howard at Suburban Gooners, external and the Same Old Arsenal Podcast, external

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We asked for your views on Arsenal's 2-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

Here are some of your comments:

Vince: Might be a coincidence but the team appears determined to shake off the "ugly winners" tag that was unfairly pinned on them a couple of games ago. This win, and the previous one, showcased goals from open play, including Eze's beauty last night and Dowman's superb solo effort against Everton. Not one came from set plays or dead balls. More importantly, the boys reminded everyone that they are capable of winning with any kind of football. Bring on City!

Ned: All this success is confusing for Arsenal fans. If we win the quadruple and Tottenham get relegated, what else is there? Do Arsenal retire as a club? Can we all finally stop watching football?

Robin: The one continued disappointment is Saka. Madueke miles ahead currently as would be Nwaneri. And captain... Really? There were at least four or five players more suited tonight. Send him on holiday for three weeks and hope he turns up for the run in.

Okumu: Performance of champions , but the squad depth must be considered for a boost up in the summer to give both Zubimendi and Rice some moments of rotation rests.

Dan: Well played from start to finish, and both goals from open play not set pieces. I feel we are on to something special this season, but taking it one game at a time. COYG!

Alex Howell
Arsenal reporter

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Declan Rice is called "The Horse" by his Arsenal team-mates and his performance in the 2-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen again showed why he has more than earned that nickname.

Rice's season has been defined by all-action 90-minute displays for the Gunners - and he is producing them every three days as his side chase silverware on four fronts.

The midfielder curled a powerful shot into the bottom corner for Arsenal's second on Tuesday night, giving the Gunners a two-goal aggregate lead with less than 30 minutes left that allowed Mikel Arteta to rest some key players with the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City on Sunday in mind.

But one player who stayed on the pitch as Arsenal ran out 3-1 winners on aggregate was Rice.

The 27-year-old has played the third-most minutes of any outfielder for Arsenal - behind midfield partner Martin Zubimendi and the now-injured Jurrien Timber - starting in 37 of his 43 appearances this term.

His goal against Leverkusen - adding to Eberechi Eze's powerful first-half strike - was his fifth this season and he has registered 11 assists, with his excellent delivery from corners a key weapon for the Gunners.

Rice and Zubimendi are one of the key partnerships in the Arsenal team. The pair run the midfield and their importance has risen with captain Martin Odegaard's injury issues this season.

Both midfielders were given a rare rest in the win over Mansfield Town in the FA Cup fifth round, but with crunch games coming thick and fast, their availability is going to be key.

They provide a solid base in front of the Arsenal back four and Rice's running power and ability to be effective at both ends of the pitch were on show again on Tuesday.

"He was immense," Mikel Arteta said. "The soul of the team."

"I don't think Declan Rice gets much of a break, he features in nearly every game and keeps churning out the performance," former Arsenal defender Matt Upson told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"It's pretty remarkable stuff. Physically, he's an absolute machine," said Upson.

Read more on Rice 'The Horse'

Former Arsenal defender Matthew Upson says the Gunners were "comfortable" in Tuesday's Champions League win over Bayer Leverkusen.

Goals in either half from Eberechi Eze and Declan Rice sent Mikel Arteta's side into the quarter-finals, where they will play Portuguese side Sporting.

"They were back to that Arsenal you see at home when the match starts and they are just on the opposition," Upson told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"They were all over them, pressing them, not allowing them to play out.

"Leverkusen could never really get a foothold in the game. Arsenal were not creating masses of chances at the start but then all of a sudden the corners started flowing, then the opportunities came, then the opposition got stretched and ragged. The back three of Leverkusen had to defend the box, the goalkeeper made a few saves, and they were under siege.

"It took a bit of brilliance from Eberechi Eze to score the first goal and from then on you just never felt like Arsenal were not going to go through.

"In the second half, Leverkusen came out and were better and had a bit of a go but didn't have the cutting edge. That is the difference.

"Against a Paris St-Germain or Real Madrid, that level will go up a notch or two and that will be the real test to see where this Arsenal team is at this season, but in this fixture they were comfortable, business-like and calm.

"The stadium was in a positive mood and it was relatively straightforward in the end."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Arsenal will face competition from Juventus for 31-year-old Germany midfielder Leon Goretzka, who is set to leave Bayern Munich when his contract expires in the summer. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian), external

Meanwhile, the Gunners and Manchester United and are both keen on Newcastle and Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali, 25. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Alex Howell
Football reporter

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This confidence-boosting win was ideal for Arsenal before their first opportunity of silverware against Manchester City at the weekend.

Eberechi Eze looks to be finding his feet as Arsenal's number 10 while captain Martin Odegaard is out injured and his superb strike will only further increase his confidence as the big games keep coming at this stage of the season.

Mikel Arteta spoke before this game about how the experience of previous Champions League ties will help his team as they look to become serial contenders in the competition.

The Gunners boss has transformed the club since he took over in 2019 and this victory over Bayer Leverkusen was their 14th in 17 home games in the Champions League under the Spaniard.

The next step for this impressive team, who have only lost three games in all competitions this season, is to add trophies.

The first chance Arsenal have to break their six-year trophy drought is on Sunday and they will hope that, if they are victorious against City, that it will push them on to win more than one competition this season.

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, speaking in the post-match news conference: "We started the game so well, and we were a threat from every angle. Their keeper kept them in the game, and we needed a magical moment from Ebs [Eberechi Eze] to give us the lead.

"Then, in the second half, Declan's action gave us the opportunity to win the game, and we had four or five situations where we should've scored a third, but overall, we fully deserved to win and be into the quarter-finals.

"Ebs is playing every three days, he has rhythm, has an understanding with the players and this [the goal] is why he is here. He is building an understanding with all of them and when you start to make key moments in games, that lifts your confidence.

"Declan was immense, him and the whole team - the manner they go into every ball and the passion they show is remarkable."

Arsenal goalscorer and player of the match Declan Rice, speaking to TNT Sports: "I'm shattered, it's non-stop. We're in all the competitions still, so it's been every three days since October. We deal with it the best we can, but it's difficult. We find ways to win and it's all good. Everyone asks where I get my energy from. I just get this second burst of energy."

On his goal: "I stepped in front of him, the first touch set me up for everything, there was nowhere else to go, so I just went for it. You find it in your belly somewhere to keep on fighting, to make the tackles, to win."

On Eberechi Eze: "There aren't many players that I've seen that can hit the ball like him. We need to get him on the ball more."

Did you know?

• Arsenal have won 37 of their 49 games in all competitions this season (D9 L3). Only in 2001-02 (39) and 1970-71 (41) have they ever won more in a single campaign (also 37 in 2003-04).

• Arsenal have reached the UEFA Champions League quarter-final in three consecutive seasons for the second time, previously doing so between 2007-08 and 2009-10.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

What did you make of Arsenal's performance?

Come back on Wednesday for a selection of your replies

Ben White comes in to start for Arsenal for the injured Jurrien Timber. Piero Hincapie replaces Riccardo Calafiori and Viktor Gyokeres starts as the Gunners striker. After his record-breaking goal against Everton on Sunday, 16-year-old Max Dowman is on the bench.

Leandro Trossard returns from the hip complaint that ruled him out at the weekend, with Noni Madueke dropping to the bench, while Viktor Gyokeres leads the line up front.

Arsenal starting XI: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie, Rice, Zubimendi, Eze, Saka, Trossard, Gyokeres

Subs: Arrizabalaga, Ranson, Mosquera, Jesus, Martinelli, Norgaard, Madueke, Havertz, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Dowman

Kasper Hjulmand names the same Bayer Leverkusen side that drew with Arsenal in the first leg.

Leverkusen starting XI: Blaswich, Quansah, Andrich, Tapsoba, Poku, Grimaldo, Garcia, Palacios, Maza, Terrier, Kofane

Subs: Omlin, Lomb, Fernandez, Hofmann, Tillman, Schick, Oermann, Tape, Culbreath

There are four games in the Champions League on Tuesday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Sporting v Bodo Glimt (17:45)

• Arsenal v Bayer Leverkusen - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Chelsea v Paris St-Germain

• Manchester City v Real Madrid - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 20:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to 5 Live commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Arsenal v Bayer Leverkusen" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Man City v Real Madrid".

Find out more about how to listen to football on BBC Sounds

Watch highlights of every Champions League game from 22:00 on Wednesday on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

There will also be a Champions League Match of the Day on BBC One on Wednesday, from 22:40 to 00:00.

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, EPA

It felt like a pivotal moment for the season but also a moment for the ages. Max Dowman, 16, came on at the Emirates on Saturday evening and transformed the game and the title race. This isn't the fuzzy romanticising of a youngster's lucky moment; this was the official announcement of what should be a generational talent.

Mikel Arteta sunk Everton with his substitutions, but the fact that he went to a kid when he was desperate tells you all you need to know about what Arsenal already know. If Dowman steers clear of serious injury and seriously bad advice, he has the football world at his feet.

He has super confidence, exceptional technique and already possesses the physical prowess needed at the elite level. His vision and game awareness is already better than most Premier League players of any age, and he has a grace and balance to boot.

The list of talents goes on, but it is the fact that he doesn't look over-coached, that he looks natural and able to do things effortlessly under pressure, that is so refreshing. When most would overthink the situation, he has the talent, ability or just an inborn natural gift to cope using his own ideas.

‌Just when Arsenal were being questioned about the prescriptive style of their set-piece dependency, they brought on a player who creates and scores goals that are not the result of mind-numbing micro-coaching. Last week, I pondered whether Arsenal will be loved for winning the title. Well, they just retrieved some of that love, because who doesn't love a fairy-tale ending?

I hope no-one attempts to coach the initiative out of Dowman by getting him to do the "right" thing more often. It is that ability to think in a way unlike others that gives him the chance to be extra special.

Image source, Getty Images

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Laura Kirk-Francis
Fan writer

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At the final whistle of Arsenal's 2-0 win over Everton on Saturday, every person around me looked exhausted. We weren't the ones who had been running up and down the pitch for 96 minutes, but it sure felt like it.

Some of this emotion came from relief, from the excitement of two late goals, and the significance of Max Dowman's first in the Premier League. However, a lot of it came from producing an atmosphere that the Emirates has been crying out for for weeks.

As Arsenal struggled to break down a resolute Everton side, who have an excellent record away from home, the stadium could have resigned itself to a draw. There is sometimes a lull that comes over the Emirates when the Gunners are playing a team they should be beating, but are struggling to create much to cheer about.

This didn't happen on Saturday.

It's hard to pinpoint the exact moment, but the stadium simply came alive in about the 65th minute. It's often sparked by a big tackle, or winning the ball back high up the pitch. This time, though, it felt like a collective recognition that our team needed something extra.

For weeks, the Arsenal crowd has been called nervous, with suggestions it is even making the players nervous too. If this is the case, then the crowd on Saturday was electric and, therefore, the players became electric too.

The difference this week was also that the noise, which can often tip over into desperation and frustration, was positive. It was celebratory and willing the players on, not chastising them for the position they found themselves in.

The scenes in the stands for both goals were representative not just of elation that the team had gone ahead, but that we had also played a part.

With the title agonisingly close, it could not be a more important time to find and keep our 12th man.

Find more from Laura Kirk-Francis at the Latte Firm podcast, external

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Will Arsenal's style and approach matter if they get over the line and win the Premier League?

Jamie Carragher and Thierry Henry do not believe so, but both also think not everyone's perception of the approach will be positive if Mikel Arteta's side lift the trophy come May.

"When you have a team who dominate an era, most people want the team that's battling with them to win," Carragher told Monday Night Football on Sky Sports.

"It doesn't feel like there is that feeling with Arsenal and Manchester City. I think a lot of fans rather City win it, even some Manchester United and Liverpool fans.

"There is something about Arsenal and how they've gone about it, whether you like it or not, whether it's the style of football, Arteta on the side of the pitch, the fanbase on social media, that rubs people up the wrong way.

"Some of the criticism is absolute nonsense. There's no right or wrong way to play football. It's about being the best at what you do.

"Right now, whether you like it or not as an Arsenal supporter, they are going to be remembered as a set-piece team. If they win the league, in 10 years time people will say it was only set-pieces or whatever, but how could he [Arteta] take on Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola - two of the best teams in European football at that time - with less wages and less spend at the time?

"He had to find another way and he's done it."

Henry added: "We asked Mikel Arteta to find a way.

"He did. I've wanted to win a league for 22 years. We might talk about the style next year. Everybody was vocal about Arsenal not finding a way to win. We still haven't again but he is finding a way.

"I'm not saying we're going to do it, but if we do it, however we do it I will respect that. It's not about what anyone likes. I don't have to like it, but I'll surely respect it."

Watch The Oberserver's Rory Smith and former Premier League striker Chris Sutton disagree on Arsenal and manager Mikel Arteta's use of youngster Max Dowman.

"They confronted the hype around him in the summer," Smith told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.

"Arteta has taken it quite slow since them. It's been quite smart. His name has been around for a few years.

"He's been training with the first team for around nine months. He's had a chance to develop physically. It means when he does start to get Premier League minutes you have a player who is much more ready for it than if they had thrown him in straight away or waited much longer."

"I don't necessarily agree with that," added Sutton.

"I suspect it was just a case of it felt like the right time. I don't think they waited for this particular moment and this was part of the plan. Arteta was just thinking of the best way to win games in that moment."

Listen on BBC Sounds

Arsenal's Brazilian winger Gabriel Martinelli, 24, faces an uncertain future at the club along with English left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly, 19, and 18-year-old English winger Ethan Nwaneri. (Times - subscription required), external

Arsenal have little intention of allowing 23-year-old Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori to leave this summer despite growing interest from Serie A clubs including Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus and Napoli. (Teamtalk), external

Paris St-Germain have no plans whatsoever to sell 25-year-old Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to Arsenal. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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With all the pressure on Manchester City after Arsenal's win just half an hour or so earlier, they succumbed to the stress and dropped two points at West Ham.

But was it the stress or was it simply nothing more than bad luck? Pep Guardiola watched from the stands as his team had 21 shots to the Hammers' solitary effort on goal and even that one was only a millimetre over the line. City had 70% of possession and, on any normal day, that would lead to an easy three points.

Across London, Arsenal would probably have struggled to break down Everton had the Toffees not gone for the three points in the last five minutes. David Moyes set out his team brilliantly, they defended well and even created the better chances on the break.

Had Everton sat back grimly hanging on for the single point, would Arsenal have broken through? Maybe, but very possibly not.

Everton are safe from relegation and had very little to lose, so clearly thought "we might as well have a go". In their first high press committing numbers forward, Arsenal broke and took advantage.

Yes, Mikel Arteta got it right and his substitutions worked a treat. Piero Hincapie got the assist for the first after Max Dowman's superb cross and the other sub, Viktor Gyokeres, tapped it in, before Dowman killed it off minutes later with the second goal.

It was great work from the bench but don't forget that Arsenal did get a little luck and City got none. Then again, you know the old saying – you make your own luck and Arsenal certainly did.

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