Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has called on the Premier League to contemplate increasing squad sizes as he revealed that both Gabriel Jesus and Thomas Partey could face extended periods on the sidelines.
Gabriel Jesus, 26, sustained a suspected hamstring injury during Arsenal's midweek Champions League victory over Sevilla, while 30-year-old Thomas Partey is currently sidelined due to a muscle injury.
Arteta stated, "The scan shows that there is a muscle injury (for Jesus), and we might lose him for a few weeks again. With Gabby, I cannot give you any timeframe because he always surprises us, but there is something there. He felt it in a really awkward action, and it's true he's had quite a lot of load in the last few weeks with the national team and then playing those games, which he hasn't done in a long, long time. That's really bad news for us."
Regarding Partey's injury, Arteta mentioned that the club has yet to determine the full extent, saying, "He has more tests today, but he picked up that injury in a training session with the last kick of the ball before Sevilla, so very unfortunate."
Arteta believes that increasing squad sizes beyond the current limit of 25 players could help alleviate the pressure on players. He pointed out that the upcoming changes in football, such as more Champions League matches and an expanded 32-team Club World Cup in 2025, make this consideration crucial.
"If we have more games, more competitiveness, and physically higher standards, by playing more minutes, we have to do that (increase the squad size), or instead of five subs, we have 10," Arteta stated.
He went on to discuss the normalisation of the five-substitute rule, emphasising that the game's conditions have evolved and that it's essential to ensure player availability without compromising quality.
Arsenal, who remain undefeated and were last season's Premier League runners-up, currently sit in third place in the league table after nine matches, trailing the leaders, Tottenham, by two points. On the eve of their upcoming match against bottom club Sheffield United, Arteta addressed the need for squad adjustments to meet the demands of an evolving football calendar.
