Arsenal injury news: Mikel Arteta latest update on "dangerous circle" as Max Dowman timeline confirmed

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has revealed that teenager Max Dowman is set for weeks on the sideline after he suffered ligament damage in his ankle.

The Gunners are set to return to Champions League action on Wednesday against Club Brugge, but they have been forced to name Piero Hincapie and Christian Norgaard as centre-backs.

Injuries to key personnel like William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes have stretched the team's options in defence thin, as have injuries elsewhere in the squad.

Arteta revealed that Dowman is set for a significant period on the treatment table, and he also defended his training methods amid criticism, telling reporters: "Obviously when you are missing players, you are loading other players and there is a consequence to that, and it's a really dangerous circle.

"You have to separate the kind of injuries [we have]. Some of them have been long-term and some have been acute injuries. It's something that we are constantly looking at. We have played a lot of games with a lot of players missing and that puts a lot of stress, and then you get more injuries.

"With Max, unfortunately he picked up an injury last weekend, and he had to come off, so we did some scans and he is going to be out for weeks."

The 15-year-old is highly regarded, and though he would not have played much of a first-team role, his absence is yet another blow for the Londoners.

Is Mikel Arteta to blame for Arsenal's injury crisis?

Arteta has been praised for his defensive record, with the Gunners having only conceded nine goals in 15 Premier League games this season so far.

His approach without the ball has differed to other managers such as Liverpool boss Arne Slot, who publicly acknowledged that he gave winger Mohamed Salah defensive freedom in 2024-25.

The Arsenal boss instead instructs all of his squad to track back and defend aggressively, but doing so is taxing, and it could have an impact on the fitness of the team.

Perhaps his strict approach out of possession has exacerbated some of the team's issues, though it is difficult to blame him for the impact injuries players such as Kai Havertz and Cristhian Mosquera suffered.

Premier League title race: Are there positive injury signs for Arsenal?

There is an argument that no other English club has suffered more debilitating injuries than Arsenal this season, with stars like Bukayo Sakao and Martin Odegaard missing matches this term.

However, to be two points ahead of second-placed Manchester City despite suffering numerous injury problems is commendable.

The Gunners have also already played against Liverpool, Chelsea Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Manchester United away from home, and they should be able to welcome back several members of the squad for those reverse fixtures at the Emirates.