Football
‘If I could pause the game’ – Mikel Arteta identifies moment in Arsenal’s season he wishes he could go back and change
Mikel Arteta admits he wishes he could have frozen time to protect Gabriel Jesus from injury back in January and regrets not doing more to prevent the setback.
Since then, Arsenal have endured a tough run without a natural striker, relying instead on midfielder Mikel Merino and winger Leandro Trossard to fill the No. 9 role.
The absence has taken a toll on the Gunners’ season, contributing to their FA Cup third-round exit, a Carabao Cup semi-final defeat, and the collapse of their Premier League title hopes, which now appear to be in Liverpool’s hands.
Adding to the injury woes, Kai Havertz was sidelined after undergoing hamstring surgery due to a freak incident during a mid-season training camp in Dubai. Yet it’s the long-term injury to Jesus that continues to haunt Arteta the most.
The Brazilian forward ruptured his ACL during an FA Cup tie against Manchester United on January 12 and has been battling to return before the end of the year.

Since making a £45 million move from Manchester City in the summer of 2022, Jesus has spent significant time in the treatment room, missing over 50 games through injury. Before his latest setback, he had started only 12 matches in all competitions this season, scoring seven goals but struggling for rhythm and consistency.
Despite the adversity, Arsenal have managed to stay competitive, reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League. They face Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg tomorrow night, trailing 1-0 on aggregate and aiming to pull off a dramatic comeback.
Speaking on the Men in Blazers show, Arteta reflected on whether he would do anything differently this season. He said: “Possibly. Yeah.
“It’s very difficult now to understand that, if I could pause the game and say, Gabriel Jesus, we brought you back to life. You know, you are doing incredibly well.
“You’re going to now get injured, so stop. I would stop him, bring another player in and continue to play the game. Unfortunately, we cannot do this in football.”
Injuries aren’t the only source of frustration for the Arsenal boss. Discipline has also been an issue, with the Gunners picking up five red cards in the Premier League this season—three of which came in the opening ten games.
Declan Rice received two yellow cards in a controversial 1-1 draw with Brighton in August. Leandro Trossard saw red in a tense 2-2 stalemate with Manchester City the following month. William Saliba was handed a VAR-reviewed straight red in a 2-0 loss to Bournemouth in October.
Teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly has already been sent off twice since making his senior debut. The first, in a 1-0 win over Wolves in January, was later rescinded, but a second red card in a damaging home defeat to West Ham a month later raised fresh concerns.
Despite everything, Arteta remains proud of his squad and how they’ve coped under pressure. “I am probably prouder than I was back in August,” he said.
“While we have to deliver, we’ve been through a lot this season with a lot of very difficult situations that in any other circumstances would have put the club and the team in a very, very difficult position.
“I see the team where we are and how we are competing and it is an absolute joy because in ten, 15, 20 years I analysed what happened when these things happened to other clubs and it’s very different.
“In the period that we play with the amount of injuries, you have zero chance to win the league and you have very few chances even to play in the Champions League.
“That’s history, what we’ve done in the Champions League with that, with those conditions in my opinion is extraordinary.”
One thing that continues to lift Arteta’s spirits is Arsenal’s team dog, “Win”. The adorable Labrador was introduced at the end of the 2022/23 season and has since become a regular presence around the club’s London Colney training ground.
Arteta was recently spotted walking Win in the background of a Sky Sports segment, and it’s become common for players to take turns bringing the dog home for a night.
“It brings me joy and peace. When we are all with Win, you change your energy. It is all love, all hugs. He wants to be touched. She wants to go on the floor and given massages and pleasure,” Arteta explained.
“That dog is the most loyal and unbelievable animal that exists. I feel very attached to her.”
Football
‘We want him’ – Club chief confirms he wants to sign Man Utd outcast in permanent transfer
Andre Onana could remain in Turkey beyond his loan spell, with Trabzonspor keen to secure him on a permanent deal.
The 30-year-old moved to Trabzonspor after falling out of favour at Manchester United, who brought in Senne Lammens last summer. Since then, Lammens has established himself as the club’s first-choice keeper, paving the way for Onana’s temporary switch.
In Turkey, however, Onana has rediscovered his form and quickly become a key figure. He recently grabbed attention with a standout performance in the Turkish Cup, saving three consecutive penalties to help his side overcome Samsunspor and reach the semi-finals.
The moment sparked widespread reactions online, especially from United supporters recalling their earlier penalty shootout defeat to Grimsby Town, where Onana managed just one save.
Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan has openly expressed the club’s desire to keep the goalkeeper. He indicated that while Onana has his own career plans, the club would be eager to make the move permanent if the circumstances align, leaving the final decision in the player’s hands.
Back in England, United are expected to consider selling Onana, particularly with Lammens now firmly established as their number one. The club will likely aim to recover a significant portion of the £47.5 million they paid to sign him from Inter Milan in 2023, with two years still remaining on his contract.
Beyond his cup heroics, Onana has been a consistent presence in the league, starting every match for Trabzonspor and playing a vital role in their push for the title. His performances have earned strong praise in Turkey, with the club currently sitting third in the table, just six points behind leaders Galatasaray.
Football
Man City place Arsenal ‘bottles’ for sale outside Etihad Stadium before 2025/26 Premier League decider
Manchester City appear to have kicked off the psychological battle ahead of their Premier League showdown with Arsenal.
In the build-up to the match, bottles branded with the Arsenal logo were reportedly being sold outside the stadium, priced cheaply and seemingly intended as a tongue-in-cheek way for home fans to mock the visiting supporters.
The stunt draws inspiration from a recent viral moment at Stamford Bridge, where a City fan was seen jokingly “drinking Arsenal tears” during their emphatic 3-0 win over Chelsea—a clip that quickly spread across social media.
With tensions already high given the importance of the fixture, the gesture adds another layer to the rivalry between the two sides. Arsenal, meanwhile, will be focused on responding where it matters most—on the pitch—as they aim to silence critics and deliver a strong result in what could be a defining game in the title race.
Football
Bruno Fernandes responds to Manchester United star’s dig at Chelsea flop Alejandro Garnacho
Alejandro Garnacho faced criticism from his former Manchester United teammates following Chelsea’s latest Premier League setback.
A first-half goal from Matheus Cunha secured a narrow but important win for United, strengthening the position of Michael Carrick’s side in the race for Champions League qualification. Chelsea, meanwhile, continue to struggle, with the defeat marking their fourth consecutive league loss without finding the net.
Pressure is mounting on head coach Liam Rosenior, who only took charge a few months ago after replacing Enzo Maresca. While the club has not publicly wavered in its support, questions are beginning to emerge over several players, including Garnacho, whose performances have failed to meet expectations since his £40 million move from Old Trafford.
Reports suggest Chelsea could be open to offers for the 21-year-old after a difficult start to life at Stamford Bridge. He had an early opportunity to impress against his former side after coming on for the injured Estevao, but once again struggled to make an impact, finding it hard to break through a United defence that was missing several first-choice centre-backs.

Garnacho also received a hostile reception from United supporters during the match, and the reaction appeared to carry over beyond the pitch. After the game, Luke Shaw shared an image on social media showing himself standing over Garnacho following a challenge. Bruno Fernandes responded with a playful but pointed comment, while former teammate Alex Telles also joined in with reactions.
Chelsea’s broader struggles are becoming increasingly concerning. They now sit four points behind Liverpool in the race for fifth place, despite having played an extra game. The current run—four straight league defeats without scoring—is their worst in nearly three decades, with an even longer drought not seen since 1912.

Across all competitions, the form is equally worrying, with six losses in their last seven matches and 16 goals conceded during that stretch. A significant portion of their recent goals have come in a single outing against Port Vale, highlighting their lack of consistency in front of goal.
After the match, Rosenior admitted uncertainty about what failing to qualify for the Champions League could mean for his future. He acknowledged the result was difficult to take, especially given that Chelsea created numerous chances but failed to convert them. He pointed out that United capitalised on a limited opportunity, while his side were unable to make their attacking pressure count.
Despite the frustration, Rosenior emphasized the need for continued effort and improvement, insisting that the team must find a way to turn their form around before the situation worsens further.
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