Mikel Arteta was left praying on the fitness of his Arsenal players after his team slipped nine points behind . Arsenal made it four League games without a win after , where Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice asked to come off with injuries. Rice had tried to play through the pain barrier with a broken toe, while Saka suffered a late injury and had to be replaced by Gabriel Jesus.
Arteta does not expect either Saka or Rice to go on international duty with England, while Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca said he was unsure whether or not Cole Palmer would be able to report. Martin Odegaard returned from injury to set up Gabriel Martinelli’s opening goal at Stamford Bridge, but Arteta admitted Arsenal cannot afford to suffer any more fitness problems as they try to cling to the coattails of Liverpool. Asked if he is worried about Liverpool’s nine-point lead, Arteta said: “There’s nothing that we can do about that.
What I’m praying for is that after the international break we have the team fully physically equipped. That they are available and that they are fit, because it’s been a nightmare for eight weeks. “Doubt after doubt, issue after issue, not only with the ones that are not able to play, but with the ones who are able to play only for certain moments and not able to play.
So I’m just asking that, because the desire the team has and how much we want it there’s no question. It’s going to come. We just need that on our side to be more consistent.
” On the fitnes.
