Arteta reveals Eze's injury scare made his Anfield squad place 'incredible' for Arsenal

Eberechi Eze did not leave the bench during Arsenal’s win at Anfield on Sunday, but his presence in the squad was itself a minor triumph — one Mikel Arteta was quick to acknowledge in his post-match comments.

The Arsenal manager revealed that Eze had been dealing with a fitness concern in the days leading up to the Liverpool fixture, and that there had been genuine fears the winger might miss the game entirely. That context gave weight to Arteta’s otherwise understated remark that it was “incredible” Eze had made the squad at all.

Arteta’s comment came in a broader answer about Christos Tzolis, the other winger who started despite returning from injury. “We had an issue with Ebs as well,” Arteta said. “It was incredible that he was in the squad. I want to give credit to all the medical and performance team. What they are doing with those boys is incredible. Every three days, to keep everybody at this level. These are the margins sometimes when you win a football match, whether you have somebody available or not.”

Eze’s determination to be available was particularly significant given Arsenal’s depleted options. Bukayo Saka remains sidelined with injury, while Max Dowman was suspended following an unsuccessful club appeal against his red card at Fleetwood. Eze knew the squad was short and pushed himself to be ready.

It is not the first time Eze has shown that kind of resilience. He battled through niggles last season to contribute when Arsenal needed him most, and sources close to the club suggest his attitude and professionalism have made a strong impression behind the scenes at the Emirates.

His form this season has been uneven — bright off the bench at Aston Villa, less convincing as a starter on the left flank, and then the high of a brilliantly taken goal at Bayern Munich in the Champions League, followed by a frustrating cameo in Arsenal’s Carabao Cup exit at Fleetwood. It later emerged that some of those inconsistent performances came while he was carrying physical problems.

Eze underwent checks after the Fleetwood game, and the concern was significant enough that a spell on the sidelines looked possible. Instead, he trained through the week, declared himself available, and was named in the squad for one of the season’s most demanding away fixtures.

Arteta’s praise, though brief, reflected something more than routine managerial approval — it was an acknowledgement that Eze’s commitment in difficult circumstances had not gone unnoticed.