Sawt Falasteen - Arsenal boss Arteta will 'actively look' at January signings amid injury crisis

The Gunners could be missing up to four defenders for their key match against high-flying Aston Villa at the Emirates on Tuesday.

Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera were all absent for Arsenal's tense win over Brighton on Saturday which kept them two points clear of title rivals Manchester City at the top of the table.

Arsenal spent more than £250 million ($337 million) on eight new arrivals during the summer transfer window and Arteta is prepared to bring in further recruits next month.

"The window is there and I mean we are Arsenal and we have to be looking at it – 'Okay, what do we need?' And we have to be actively looking and then, whether we can do it or not, that's a different story," he said, with the north London club bidding to be crowned champions of England for the first time since 2004.

The Spanish boss added: "But our job is to always be very prepared because something can happen, so hopefully it'll be very positive.

"When you look across the other clubs, they have 24 or 25 squad players. Although we have had more injuries than expected, some of them not avoidable, we want to be better and we know how important the part of having the right availability with players is going to be this season."

Villa ended Arsenal's 11-match unbeaten run in the league with a stoppage time 2-1 victory over Arteta's men on December 6.

The Birmingham club, fresh from securing a club record 11th straight win in all competitions, will head into Tuesday's contest knowing another victory would draw them level on points with Arsenal.

Asked if a Villa side managed by compatriot Unai Emery, a former Arsenal boss, were title contenders, Arteta replied: "They are meant to be there when you look at what they are doing and how consistent they have been and what Unai has done with the club.

"They fully deserve that credit because they are doing it on the pitch where you have to show your level.

"But every opponent that comes here, we want them to suffer, and be as dominant as we were against Brighton for the majority of the game.

"We know we will have a tough match. We will watch the last game back (against Villa) and I have a few ideas on things that we have to do better.

"It was quite cruel on us, the way we lost it, but we have learned from it and we can use that as motivation and hunger in the right manner."

J.AbuShaban--SF-PST