Mikel Merino scored his first Arsenal goal against Liverpool on Sunday (Picture: Getty Images)

Mikel Merino has dismissed the idea that Arsenal’s injury problems could be an excuse for dropping points in recent weeks, saying there is actually a benefit to some players being out injured.

The Gunners are third in the table, so it has hardly been a disastrous start to the season, but they have only won five of their nine Premier League matches so far.

A draw with Liverpool last time out followed a shock defeat at Bournemouth and Mikel Arteta’s side are already five points behind league-leaders Manchester City.

Merino, a summer signing from Real Sociedad who scored his first Gunners goal in the 2-2 draw with Liverpool, says that the team remains laser focussed on success and will not be derailed by injury issues.
Arteta currently has selection headaches over the likes of Martin Odegaard, Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber, but the Spanish midfielder says they cannot be used as an excuse.

‘The message is simple ? this team is not going to lose their focus, it?s never going to give up no matter what the situation or what time of the year it is,’ Merino said.

‘The focus is to go 100 per cent and learn from every game. We focus only on ourselves and what we can do to win every single game. We don?t look outside the team ? in spite of this result, we don?t look too far ahead, we focus on the present. This is our mentality and it?s wha...