Arsenal Cancel Christmas! Mikel Arteta Orders Gunners Stars in for Training on December 25th

Why Arteta Is Demanding a Christmas Day Session Despite No Boxing Day Fixture

Christmas may be a time for family, food and a much-needed pause for most people—but not, it seems, for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal. According to reports in The Sun, the Gunners boss has instructed his squad to report for training on Christmas Day, even though Arsenal do not have a Boxing Day match this year.

It’s the kind of decision that instantly sparks debate among fans, pundits and former players. Some call it ruthless professionalism. Others see it as another example of Arteta pushing the limits of intensity during a campaign where Arsenal’s injuries have already become a talking point. But whether people admire it or criticise it, there’s no denying one thing: Arteta is not interested in letting standards slip during a critical period of the season.

Arsenal return to Premier League action on December 27, when they host Brighton at the Emirates. And for Arteta, that means preparation simply cannot afford to pause—not even on December 25.

Gunners Told to Report to London Colney on Christmas Morning

The plan, as reported, is uncompromising but structured. Arsenal will train in the morning at London Colney, then the squad will be released to head home and salvage whatever remains of Christmas Day with their families.

It’s not entirely heartless—players will reportedly be given Christmas Eve off, a particularly important date culturally for many of Arsenal’s European players. But it does still mean that several members of the squad will be shifting their holiday plans, delaying festive meals and adjusting family routines.

For players like Ben White, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze, it will mean a Christmas Day much different from the one their families may have hoped for. That’s part of life at the top level, of course—but it’s also a reminder of just how relentlessly Arteta drives his squad.

And the timing is tight. Arsenal will have played only two days earlier—a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace on December 23—so the rhythm of fixtures gives Arteta precious little time to prepare for Brighton. In his view, that alone justifies the unconventional call.

But some observers believe it speaks to something more: a wider, ongoing debate about Arteta’s training methods.

Arteta’s Intense Training Regime Under Scrutiny

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This decision to train on Christmas Day comes at a moment when Arsenal’s injury record is under the microscope yet again. Arteta has repeatedly pushed back against the idea that his training intensity is too demanding, but critics argue that the trend is becoming too consistent to ignore.

One of the highest-profile absences is William Saliba, who has missed four consecutive matches. His situation is especially concerning because it appears to stem from compensations and biomechanical issues caused by an earlier ankle problem. Arteta offered an unusually detailed explanation when questioned before Arsenal’s match against Wolves.

“It was something quite small,” he said. “It came from an ankle injury he had, and then he started to modify his running. He overloaded an area. It’s common. But at some point, he was uncomfortable continuing to train and play, and we had to stop it.”

Arteta added that Saliba is improving, but whether he will return immediately remains unclear:

“We have to wait and see… If you asked me for the Everton game, I think he will be fit; for tomorrow, I don’t know.”

These comments, combined with the Christmas Day schedule, feed the narrative that Arteta is pushing his squad right to the edge. Yet those close to the club insist the Spaniard has data and sports science firmly behind him, and that his decisions—no matter how extreme they appear—are grounded in a clear performance strategy.

Arteta Is Hunting Trophies, Not Praise

In fairness to Arteta, the results have made a compelling case.

Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Club Brugge in midweek kept their Champions League record perfect—six wins from six. Domestically, they remain in touch with the leading pack. And with the Carabao Cup quarter-final approaching, they are still fighting on three fronts.

Asked whether Arsenal deserve more credit for navigating the Premier League, Champions League and Carabao Cup simultaneously, Arteta brushed aside the question with trademark focus.

“That’s not for me to judge,” he said. “We’re in a very strong position in the three competitions. The credit has to come at the end of the season.”

It is this relentless forward-looking mentality that explains why Christmas Day is just another workday to Arteta. He is not seeking validation in December. He is thinking about trophies in May.

Arsenal’s 33-Minute Flight Raises Fresh Eyebrows

Aston Villa v Arsenal – Premier League

As if Christmas training wasn’t enough to stir conversation, Arsenal also attracted attention for their remarkably short 33-minute flight to Belgium for their Champions League match in Bruges.

The flight from Luton to Ostend took barely half an hour—short enough that the drive from the airport to Bruges took longer than the time in the air. Sustainability advocates were predictably unimpressed, though it wasn’t the first time Arsenal made headlines for a micro-flight. Back in 2015, a trip to Norwich lasted just 14 minutes, sparking similar criticism.

This time, though, at least Arsenal won’t be facing scrutiny for travel choices when the weekend arrives. Wolves are coming to the Emirates for a Saturday evening Premier League clash, and the Gunners will be heavy favourites against a side still looking for their first league victory of the season.

Why Arsenal Cancelled Christmas: The Bigger Picture

Strip away the headlines, and the logic behind Arteta’s Christmas Day order becomes clearer.

Arsenal’s fixture congestion is growing. Their injury situation is delicate. Their performance expectations are sky-high. And Arteta, more than any Arsenal manager since Wenger, has built a culture around discipline, consistency and daily attention to detail.

Training on Christmas Day is not about punishment. It’s about rhythm. It’s about sharpness. It’s about control.

And, perhaps most importantly, it’s about setting the tone:
At Arsenal, the pursuit of trophies doesn’t take holidays.

Whether supporters agree or not, the message is unmistakable. Arteta believes this team is on the verge of something significant. And if that means sacrificing a few Christmas mornings along the way, then so be it.

After all, as Arteta might argue, there is no festive break in ambition.