Arsenal could be without 6 players for Chelsea game after Arteta update
Arsenal could be without six players for the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Chelsea on Wednesday night.
The Gunners travel to Stamford Bridge for the opening leg, and ahead of the game, manager Mikel Arteta has provided some worrying team news.
Piero Hincapie and Riccardo Calafiori were sidelined for the FA Cup third-round win at Portsmouth last weekend due to groin and muscle injuries, respectively.
Speaking in his pre-match presser, the manager confirmed that the duo are not yet available, and Calafiori is still a few weeks away from a return.
He said (via Arsenal.com): “Those two are not available yet. It’s a muscle injury [on Calafiori].
“He’s progressing, but we don’t know. I think it will matter for a few weeks probably, but we don’t know exactly when.”
Max Dowman and Cristhian Mosquera have been sidelined for the last few weeks with ankle injuries. Arteta clarified that they are likewise out for a while.
He added on the duo: “(Max) is very similar to Mosquera. Very similar injuries, very similar time frames.
“Both evolving really well, but they’re not training yet, so they’re still a few weeks away.”
Alongside the quartet, Arteta revealed that William Saliba and Leandro Trossard are ‘a doubt’ for the derby.
He simply said: “Those two are a doubt.”
Arsenal were without their preferred centre-back pairing of Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes during the 1-1 Premier League draw at Chelsea in November.
Mosquera and Hincapie started together in central defence and had a nervous derby at Stamford Bridge.
Gabriel is now fully fit and firing after his thigh injury, but it appears Saliba could miss out tomorrow.
His absence would be a huge blow for the Gunners, with Hincapie, Calafiori and Mosquera already out.
It could force the manager to play Jurrien Timber in the heart of the defence alongside Gabriel.
Meanwhile, Trossard has been a revelation from the left wing, particularly in the league this term. He has nine goal contributions in the English top-flight.
Regardless of his fitness, Gabriel Martinelli could be handed the position tomorrow on the back of scoring his maiden hat-trick against Pompey.
The Brazilian is the club’s leading scorer this season with nine goals thus far, and has scored a couple of times at Stamford Bridge in his career.
Martinelli has a big opportunity to make his mark tomorrow as the Gunners seek to beat the Blues on the road for the first time in four attempts.
Arsenal are unbeaten in eight previous encounters against their London counterparts, but have shared the spoils in the last three away meetings.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
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