The Gunners face mounting inquiries about their attacking prowess following a 2-0 loss to Liverpool in the FA Cup third round. Despite creating numerous opportunities in the game, Arteta’s side failed to capitalize, closing off another avenue to major silverware for the 2023-24 season.

Gabriel Jesus was absent from the Liverpool clash due to yet another injury, while Eddie Nketiah only made a cameo appearance from the bench and Kai Havertz, the German forward, continued his struggle to find form. When questioned about reinforcing their attacking force, Arteta told beIN Sports, “At the moment it does not look realistic. What my job is, and what we have to do is improve our players and try to get better results with the players we have.”

Regarding Gabriel Jesus’ situation, Arteta explained, “He had some pain in his knee, so we did a scan and it showed something. Hopefully it is not something big, it’s the same knee that he had (previously injured) so we cannot take any risks. Hopefully not (a big injury).”

With three consecutive defeats across competitions, scoring only one goal in the process, Arsenal’s domestic cup run has come to an end. Their next target for accumulating points in the Premier League will be on January 20, facing London rivals Crystal Palace.