"They are both out": Arteta now confirms £55m Arsenal duo are unavailable vs Bournemouth
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has provided a big injury update on two defenders ahead of the Premier League clash against Bournemouth on the road tomorrow.
The Gunners extended their lead at the top of the table to four points after Manchester City failed to beat Sunderland (0-0) at the Stadium of Light on Thursday night.
Arsenal play first this weekend at Bournemouth, and they have the chance to temporarily extend their advantage to seven points with a fifth-straight league victory.
Ahead of the encounter, the manager has confirmed that Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera won’t be involved due to injuries. He simply said: “They are both out.”
Declan Rice also missed the thumping 4-1 win over Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium in midweek due to knee swelling. He will be assessed ahead of the South Coast trip.
The only other confirmed absentee is Max Dowman, who is ruled out until February with an ankle issue.
Arsenal go into the Cherries game as favourites, given Andoni Iraola’s side are 15th in the league table and are winless in their last 10 matches in the English top-flight.
Despite this, the Gunners can’t afford any complacency and must turn up with a strong performance.
The Cherries have played out thrilling draws against Manchester United (4-4) and Chelsea (2-2) away from home, and are likely to take the game to the Gunners tomorrow.
Bournemouth did the league double over Arsenal last season. There is a genuine opportunity to avenge those results with a victory to go seven points clear at the top.
Calafiori, who was signed for £42 million from Bologna in the summer of 2024, has been almost ever-present at left-back in the league this term. His absence should see Piero Hincapie continue in the role.
Mosquera, on the other hand, won’t be a big miss with the presence of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba in central defence. It may not be long before the £13m signing returns to the matchday squad.
Stats from PremierLeague.com
The post "They are both out": Arteta now confirms £55m Arsenal duo are unavailable vs Bournemouth first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.