Arsenal
Gyökeres Ruled Out for Slavia Prague as Arteta Voices Concern Over Muscle Problem
Arteta rules Gyökeres out for Slavia Prague; further imaging ordered as Arsenal juggle absences soon
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta confirmed Viktor Gyökeres will not travel for the Champions League trip to Slavia Prague after picking up a muscle problem at the weekend. The update, given in the manager’s pre-match briefing, indicated the club will carry out further tests and imaging to assess the striker’s condition.
“I am concerned because he hasn’t had many muscular issues and he had to leave the pitch. He was feeling something and that’s obviously never a good sign. Especially for a player that is very, very explosive, so we are digging in a little bit more to understand where we are in terms of the injury and we will announce it when we know more,” Arteta said in his pre-match press conference.
Arteta also confirmed Martín Zubimendi will be unavailable because of yellow card accumulation. With a number of attacking names already absent this season, the manager once again faces selection headaches.
Last season Arsenal endured a run of attacking injuries that sidelined Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka. Faced with similar issues this term, Arteta has previously used Mikel Merino as a makeshift striker and is expected to do so again on Tuesday. Merino was a reliable emergency option late last season, but the arrangement is described as less than ideal given the club’s investment in other forward options.
Saka has returned from a hamstring injury suffered earlier in the campaign, but Arsenal remain without Noni Madueke, Martin Ødegaard, Jesus, Martinelli and Havertz. Leandro Trossard has operated as a false nine under Arteta in the past, but moving him centrally would create a vacancy on the left that could push Eberechi Eze out wide despite his stronger recent form as a No. 10.
Arsenal’s squad depth will be tested across the midweek trip to Slavia Prague and the subsequent visit to Sunderland. The November international break arrives shortly and, if key players return to full fitness, the club could be in a stronger position when domestic action resumes later this month.
Arsenal
Arsenal Poised to Challenge 122-Year Clean Sheet Record
Arsenal sit on a run of clean sheets dating from Oct. 1; nine consecutive would break 122-year mark.
Arsenal arrive at a potential milestone after a run of defensive consistency that stretches back to Oct. 1, when the streak began against Olympiacos. The club went through the entire month of October without conceding in six matches and can extend that run if they avoid defeat against Slavia Prague. If the Gunners are successful against Slavia Prague, they could set a record of nine straight clean sheets on Saturday, Nov. 8 against Sunderland.
The numbers underline the start to the campaign. Across competitions Arsenal have kept 12 clean sheets in 15 matches so far. In the Premier League they have played 10 games, kept seven clean sheets and conceded three goals. In the Champions League they are three from three with three clean sheets and no goals conceded. In the Carabao Cup they have played two matches and kept two clean sheets with no goals conceded.
The last goal Arsenal conceded came on Sept. 28 in a 2–1 win at Newcastle United. Before that the only other moments to beat David Raya came from Erling Haaland in a 1–1 draw against Manchester City and Dominik Szoboszlai in a loss at Anfield. The defeat at Anfield is their only loss so far this season.
Manager Mikel Arteta’s defensive unit, from David Raya to Gabriel and William Saliba, has been central to the club’s form. Depth options including Myles Lewis-Skelly, Piero Hincapié and Ben White have also featured as Arteta manages fitness and rotation. Arsenal are one of two teams yet to concede a goal in three Champions League matches, the other being Inter, whom the Gunners will meet in January.
Gabriel has been prominent both defensively and in attack. He has five goal contributions, two goals and three assists, in 15 appearances. Most recently he assisted Viktor Gyökeres in a 2–0 win away to Burnley. Jamie Carragher recently even went as far to name the Brazilian an early contender for Premier League Player of the Season.
As Arsenal look to maintain momentum, their run of clean sheets is the defining storyline ahead of the next fixtures and a potential historic mark for the club.
Arsenal
Young Feyenoord full back attracting Arsenal, Man City and Bayern interest
Givairo Read attracts interest from Arsenal, Man City and Bayern while staying focused at Feyenoord.
Givairo Read has become one of the Netherlands’ most watched teenagers after a string of creative displays for Feyenoord. Scouts from Arsenal, Manchester City and Bayern Munich have taken note of his composed and creative performances, according to De Telegraaf.
The Amsterdam-born full back made headlines in March when he became the youngest player to register three assists in a single Eredivisie match this century, supplying a unique hat-trick of assists against FC Twente. Since the start of last season Read has created nine league goals for teammates, including three from 10 appearances already this season.
Interest from Bayern has been palpable inside the Feyenoord dressing room. “Yes, jokes are being made,” Read admitted this weekend. “They suddenly talk German to me and stuff. But that’s nice to see.” He was clear about his priorities amid transfer speculation. “It does not distract me, you know,” he insisted. “I’m comfortable with Feyenoord and my development here is the only thing in my head.”
Read’s statistical profile underlines why top clubs are monitoring him. Over the last year his per-90 output includes 0.34 assists (99th percentile), 0.22 expected assists (xA, 97th), 1.3 chances created (81st), 0.23 through balls (98th) and 2.8 touches in the opposition box (93rd). Data via FBref . Correct as of Nov. 3, 2025.
Arne Slot, the current Liverpool boss and the coach who gave Read his Champions League debut during his final year at Feyenoord, offered praise at the time. “Read also has a number of qualities that I like,” he said at the time. “Fast footwork. [He is] also not afraid to play, which is important when you have to go to De Kuip.”
Read’s development has also been overseen by Robin van Persie, who managed Feyenoord’s youth team and is now the senior head coach at Rotterdam. Van Persie promoted Read into the first-team leadership group. “The manager has also told me he has a lot of confidence in me,” Read told assembled media while linking up with the Netherlands U21 team in September. “I feel honoured to be the third captain. It gives me a lot of confidence; I dare to take more risks.”
Where Read would fit at Arsenal is unclear given Jurriën Timber’s form and Ben White’s presence, but Mikel Arteta has demonstrated a willingness to stockpile young talent, as with the summer signing of Cristhian Mosquera.
Arsenal
Saliba admits Real Madrid interest was tempting but chose Arsenal contract to chase trophies
Saliba says Madrid interest was tempting but he signed a new Arsenal deal to win trophies. next term
William Saliba has acknowledged that interest from Real Madrid gave him pause, but he insisted the decision to commit long term to Arsenal was straightforward. The centre back, who had already made clear his wish to extend at the club and to deliver major silverware at the Emirates before considering a move, spoke about the Madrid approach in an interview with Téléfoot.
“Of course, it’s always tempting when a club like that tries to lure you, but for me, [my desire] was to stay at Arsenal . First, win trophies, before thinking about anything else,” Saliba said, underlining the priorities that led to his new contract.
Links between Saliba and Real Madrid were aided by his Bondy origins, the same Parisian suburb that produced Kylian Mbappé. The pair came through the local academy there and have been discussed as potential club team-mates at some point. When asked about the prospect of joining up with his fellow Bondy native in Madrid next season, Saliba laughed: “No, no, the Bondy connection is with the French national team, for now.”
Arsenal have secured Saliba and his defensive partner Gabriel on long-term deals, leaving the club in a comfortable position at centre back for the foreseeable future. Real Madrid, by contrast, continue to search for defensive reinforcements. The La Liga leaders could see David Alaba and Antonio Rüdiger depart next summer, which would open space for at least one new signing.
Sources indicate Madrid are focusing on free transfers as they plan for those departures. Among the names reported as under consideration are Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi, Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté and Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano. For now, Saliba’s public stance is clear: the Madrid interest was flattering but did not alter his commitment to Arsenal and the objective of winning trophies there first.
