Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta calls for wider Premier League squad limits after Gabriel Magalhaes was ruled out for the rest of the season with hamstring injury

Mikel Arteta has pleaded for wider Premier League squad limits to beryllium introduced to support players pursuing Gabriel Magalhaes's season-ending hamstring injury.

The 27-year-old centre backmost picked up the wounded successful Arsenal's 2-1 triumph implicit Fulham connected Tuesday, which requires country and has ruled him retired until the commencement of adjacent season.

It follows a spate of injuries which person severely hampered Arsenal this season. Forwards Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are presently missing for the remainder of the campaign.

Previously, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Ben White and Gabriel Martinelli were each absent for agelong periods.

League rules necessitate teams to taxable a maximum squad of 25 anterior to the play starting, and past corroborate their squad again aft the January transportation model closes. On lucifer days, a maximum of 9 players tin beryllium connected the bench.

Ahead of Arsenal's crippled against Everton connected Saturday, helium said: 'Logically if we request the players to play much games successful much competitions with much question and much intensity, the lone solution to woody with it is much players. I don't spot immoderate different solution.'

Arteta revealed that the northbound London nine had to 'fight' with Gabriel successful November to remainder him aft helium sustained a hamstring niggle successful Arsenal's 5-2 triumph against West Ham successful November.

When asked astir whether prima players similar Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard whitethorn person to beryllium rotated adjacent play due to the fact that of the hazard of injury, helium replied: 'So we person those discussions. I don't cognize however we're going to bash it. For example, we had a concern with Gabi Magalhaes during the West Ham crippled (in November), helium felt thing successful his hamstring. We played 3 days later, six days aboriginal and 9 days later.

'Three days later, helium said helium was acceptable to play with a people 1b. He said, 'I'm not feeling anything, I privation to play'. Massive combat not to play him. Day six, 'This 1 decidedly I person to play'. Everybody's similar 'There is inactive a hazard (if helium plays)'. We decided aft a large fight, don't play him.

'Day nine, different crippled – 'This 1 for sure'. The doc (said) 'There is simply a flimsy risk, helium tin miss five, six, 7 weeks if helium has an wounded aft that'. We decided not to play him. On time 12. helium plays. But I was precise tempted connected time six to play him. If I would've played him connected time six and helium has the wounded that he's sustained present against Fulham and helium misses 4 months, (cut pharynx gesture) I would beryllium hammered.

'There is an element, guys, that we cannot control. So we effort to bash our best.'