Did injury really ruin Arsenal’s seasonal goals?

There are still more games to play this season, but Arsenal’s campaign is effectively over.

The Gunners have no remaining trophies to contest and are playing their final two fixtures for pride alone.

This is far from what their supporters had envisioned at the beginning of the season, as many were convinced that this would be the year their team finally secured silverware.

By the summer of 2024, they had established themselves as the second-best team in England for two consecutive seasons, and expectations were high that they would become champions, particularly with Manchester City struggling.

That opportunity arose this season, as the Citizens uncharacteristically struggled to secure wins following the loss of key players to injury.

However, it was Liverpool who seized the moment and claimed the title, while Arsenal have largely cited player fitness issues as a reason for their shortcomings.

The Gunners have undoubtedly been more unfortunate than Liverpool in terms of injuries, with several key players spending time on the treatment table.

Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard and Gabriel Martinelli, among others, have all missed a significant number of Arsenal fixtures due to various issues.

These absences have cost them points, but were they truly the difference between Liverpool and Arsenal?

Comparing Liverpool and Arsenal injuries

Saka missed 19 games between December and March, only returning in early April. Arsenal won ten of the matches he was absent.

Earlier in the season, Ødegaard missed 12 games due to an injury suffered on international duty, during which Arsenal won seven and lost two.

Martinelli has missed four games this campaign, Kai Havertz will reach 20 missed matches if he does not feature again this season, and Gabriel has already been unavailable for ten fixtures.

Gabriel Jesus, though no longer a regular starter, has missed 25 games this season. These represent Arsenal’s key absentees, excluding Takehiro Tomiyasu, who has been largely unavailable throughout the campaign, and those who missed only a few matches. In total, they have collectively missed 88 games.

At Liverpool, no major player such as Mohamed Salah or Virgil van Dijk has suffered a significant injury layoff. Their principal absentees include Diogo Jota (14 games), Joe Gomez (26), Alisson Becker (13), Ibrahima Konaté (8), and Trent Alexander-Arnold (7), amounting to a combined total of 68 games missed.

Arsenal were at a disadvantage in terms of injuries, a factor that contributed to Liverpool’s ability to win more matches and ultimately secure the title.

Injuries happen to all clubs but it cannot be denied that Arsenal appears to have suffered more than most in this regard.

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