Arsenal send Bayern Munich perfect message as Mikel Arteta executes dream injury strategy

Arsenal needed to make sure they gained more momentum heading into the Champions League quarterfinal because Bayern Munich was looming. While this was going on, Thomas Tuchel’s team did everything but, giving up the Bundesliga title to Bayer Leverkusen in the process after losing to Heidenheim despite leading by two goals.

Tuchel started every player on the field, but the home team’s three goals sealed the victory. It was anything but terrifying for Arsenal supporters, and it may have served as a model for what the Gunners might expect to face the following week.

A flurry of attacking manoeuvres was witnessed at the Amex Stadium as the Gunners sought a crucial victory against Brighton, who had only dropped one league game at home this season. Arsenal had nine shots at halftime and should have had more than one goal ahead of them, even though they were only ahead by one at the break.

And that was all before Gabriel Martinelli even kicked off the match. With less than 30 minutes remaining, he was substituted in for Bukayo Saka, who had just finished scoring the game-winning penalty and was receiving much-needed rest.

As Harry Kane makes his way back to north London, the story surrounding him and his Tottenham connections may take center stage, but Kai Havertz seems to be the striker of the moment. After some excellent work by Jorginho, he scored his second goal of the day with a cool, easy finish.

Arteta aimed to balance his team’s playing time while maintaining a competitive edge. When questioned about the strength of his current squad following the match against Luton Town, he provided an answer.

“It’s certainly different to what we had last season, and the big injuries that we had in the key moments of the season,” he stated. “Touch wood that we can maintain them, and they can be there, but as well that we use them and they have the right mental and physical frame that they have to perform and have an impact in the team.”

Leandro Trossard and the previously mentioned Martinelli both contribute a great deal of quality as substitutes, resting players like Saka and Gabriel Jesus and preventing injuries—the Belgian proving this point with a spectacular goal. The now-fit Takehiro Tomiyasu replaced Oleksandr Zinchenko, providing not only quality but also a creative defensive mind to help win games.

Bayern won’t have to work too hard to observe what Arsenal has accomplished on both ends of the field. This is precisely the message that Arteta would have wanted to convey, and his team’s victory at the top of the table serves as a symbol of his team’s success thus far in the campaign.