Mikel Arteta is hopeful that Arsenal's "nightmare" injury run will soon come to an end.

After Sunday's 1-1 draw against Chelsea, Mikel Arteta says he is "praying" for Arsenal's injury "nightmare" to stop, as his team is now nine points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.

On the hour mark, Gabriel Martinelli scored off a beautiful cross from the returning Martin Odegaard, seemingly putting the Gunners on track to snap a three-game league winless streak.

However, Pedro Neto's long-range strike and Leandro Trossard's inability to convert William Saliba's close-range ball in the closing seconds of the game put Arteta's team behind ten minutes later.

Arteta collapsed onto the field due to Trossard's late miss, and the Spaniard was left to deal with a new double injury blow after Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka were also unable to finish the game. The England pair is doubtful for the upcoming international break, according to Arteta.

Arsenal received a welcome boost from Odegaard's first start since September, but a slew of suspensions and injuries have ruined their season.

"There's nothing that we can do about that," he remarked following the score draw at Stamford Bridge, which was the first time Arsenal have lost four straight top flight games since April 2023.

 
It's been a nightmare for the past eight weeks, so I'm hopeful that the team will be totally physically prepared, ready, and fit following the international break.

"There is question after doubt, problem after problem, not just with those who can't play, but with those who can.

"I believe we deserved better, so I am dissatisfied with the outcome. I'm really dissatisfied with how we gave up their goal after taking the lead. How we permitted that is well below the norms of our defensive behaviours.

"It's not bad luck because you will be punished the moment you allow yourself time and space. The crew then bared its teeth. Three significant opportunities were created by us. We deserved to win even if we were unable to put the ball in the net.

Arteta remarks that Saka and Rice don't seem nice.

After 71 minutes, Rice—who was doubtful going into the game due to a fractured toe—was substituted, and Saka was also taken off the field in the second half after Marc Cucurella's forceful tackle.

"It doesn't look good, because for two players of that importance to tell you they cannot continue in the game, obviously it's not good news," said Arteta.

When asked if he anticipates them being available for England's Nations League games against the Republic of Ireland and Greece, Arteta said, "Well, two players that just came off, I don't know whether to expect them to be fit, because if not they don't come off."

"Arsenal should go for a run."

"For Arsenal, it's difficult. Their back is marked with a bullseye. Everyone wants to defeat them since they are a formidable team.

"They seem a little lacking in confidence right now, in my opinion. Against Chelsea, it wasn't fluid, and when you lose confidence, not everyone wants the ball. Everyone moves when they are in full swing. It is comparable to the red arrows.

"There weren't many choices against Chelsea when Partey, Rice, and Odegaard had the ball. Five or six passes aren't on.

"Arsenal must now go for a run. They must find a way to be consistent. They are capable of winning five or six times in a row, and they will need to do so in order to regain their place in the running for the title.

"They won't be far away, and even though they didn't seem to be interested in scoring and it's a difficult place to go, they were totally at ease. [It was] a nice performance in Milan. Raya failed not make any outstanding saves.

"So it is a start, but as Arteta says, he has to get the players fit now, they have to go on a run and make sure it comes down to six points before it goes up to 12 points - if it gets to 12, it is goodnight."