arsenal top Premier League And still played in all three cup competitions. It’s an impressive body of work, especially considering the number of injuries they have had so far in the 2025/26 season.

The above Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Victor Jacques have all missed some time due to injuries. While all three are now back, another option, Mikel Merino, is also now out.

That’s the story of Arsenal’s season, to be honest. As soon as one player returns, another gets injured. Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard are also absent, which only exacerbates the problem.

Luckily, their roster depth may be the best ever Mikel Arteta Responsible. That’s what’s driving the Gunners into a silver-clad campaign in May.

That said, while some businesses are thriving as competition increases, others are faltering.

How updated depth affects Arsenal squad

Competition for places at the Emirates Stadium has never been fiercer. Over the summer, Andrea Berta and his colleagues spent a huge amount of cash to improve the squad and make it as watertight as possible for the campaign.

Last season, their lack of depth was arguably their undoing, and injuries at the top end of the field had a catastrophic impact on their ability to compete.

In the absence of Jesus and Havertz, Merino has become a trustworthy No. 9 player. However, they struggled to cope when Saka was sidelined with a hamstring injury.

The terminology is quite different. Saka is likely to be injured again but Noni Maddue ensures Arteta is able to rest his key men in many games throughout the season.

Competition in the final third largely drove the better performance. Jokeres, Jesus and Havertz all fought bravely for a place in the attack. The quality of the selection is outstanding.

William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes will always be first choice, but new signings Piero Hincapi and Christian Mosquera have performed admirably while the main pair have been injured. This is a far cry from the days when Rob Holding was on call if injured.

That said, it’s not a positive for everyone at the club, far from it. That depth means a lot of people are suffering, especially full-backs Ben White and Myles-Lewis Skelly, who have only played around 1,000 minutes each. That number is low compared to most defenders on the team.

Lewis Skelly is likely to benefit from a late-season loan spell to boost his World Cup hopes. He has started just one game in the Premier League in the entire 2025/26 season, and his chances of making Thomas Tuchel’s United States team feel slim.

The teenager isn’t the only Hale Ender struggling with increased competition.

How Arsenal’s squad depth affects Ethan Nwaneri

Lewis Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri emerged with aplomb last season. In 2022, Nwaneri stepped onto the pitch at the age of 15 and went on to become the youngest player in Premier League history.

However, it is the former that ultimately has the greatest impact. In the second half of the 2024/25 season, he became the main force at full-back, playing in both legs of the Champions League against Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, while also scoring against Manchester City and completing his national team debut.

The teenager even scored on his debut for England. How times change, eh? Lewis-Skelly is unlikely to be on a plane for several months.

Although Nwaneri was a hot topic at Arsenal last season, his dreams of a senior international call-up now look far-fetched.

With Saka injured, the 18-year-old emerged on the right wing and produced some Saka-esque displays in the process, scoring nine goals in all competitions. He is electric, Especially praised by Joe Cole as “The most exciting talent in England and perhaps Europe”.

To be honest, there’s still a lot of buzz about Nwaneri’s potential, but he’s been held back significantly this season.

Last summer’s big-money signings for Maduek and Eberechi Eze meant the English talent struggled to find a place in the squad. While Nwaneri has been used more on the right during his breakthrough season, Arteta sees him in midfield long-term.

As a result, Nwanery is unlikely to get much playing time as Odegaard, Eze and Havertz all compete for the role. The same can be said for the right; he never got past Saka and Marduk.

Such misfortune means his playing time is not prioritized given his age. He has played just 165 minutes in the Premier League this season, not starting a single league game in the process.

Therefore, his need for game time is undeniable. Arteta sent him to Roberto De Zerbi’s Marseille, where he has had a roller-coaster experience so far.

Everything looked to be going to plan when the youngster scored on his Ligue 1 debut, but since then it has become quite challenging for him to establish his authority.

Nwaneri may well be exciting, but his development has slowed, as evidenced by his last two appearances in France. He nearly received a red card after a late foul in Marseille’s Coupe de France tie with Rennes, and has now been substituted at half-time in each of his past two games.

That’s not a good sign, but it’s important to remember that youth is on his side. He has made 51 appearances for Arsenal’s first team and did not turn 19 until the end of March.

It takes perseverance and patience. If he still struggles to make an impact in 2026/27, it might be time to worry.

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