ARSENAL have been plunged into yet another injury crisis – and it could not have come at a worse time.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is facing the prospect of missing FOUR defensive starters for a mammoth Champions League quarter final first leg tie at home to Real Madrid next week.
Centre back Gabriel limped off after just 16 minutes of Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Fulham on Tuesday night with a worrying hamstring injury that could see the Brazilian out for weeks.
Dutch right-back Jurrien Timber is now also a doubt with a knee issue picked up against the Cottagers – having also missed large parts of the international break due to illness.
That duo joins full-backs Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori in the treatment room, both struggling with knee injuries.
While White is fighting to be fit for Arsenal’s trip to Everton on Saturday, Calafiori will likely be missing for a few weeks after getting crocked for Italy over the break.
So, where does that leave boss Mikel Arteta when it comes to picking a defensive line that can take on Carlo Ancelotti’s Galacticos? He has a few options:
Should White and Timber miss out, then Arteta could turn to Thomas Partey – a midfielder who has spent a bit of time at right-back thanks to injuries this season.
Arsenal have used this back-line just once before this term – a 3-0 league phase victory over Monaco in the Champions League.
Both Lewis-Skelly and Partey will take it in turns to invert into midfield.
However, Vinicius Jr would love the chance to run Partey ragged over 90 minutes, and would surely get the better of him on more than one occasion.
The preferred option for Arteta with Timber back in the line-up should he be able to shake off the knee knock that gave him a bit of trouble against Fulham.
Timber’s defensive abilities, and driving runs forward, would fare much better against Vinicius Jr, allowing Partey to slip back into midfield.
But another issue is that until Tuesday night, for 74 minutes against Fulham, Lewis-Skelly had never played next to Kiwior…
If White passes his fitness test, then Arteta will seriously be considering reigniting the former Brighton and Leeds defender’s role as a centre back.
White has the passing ability, the speed and the physicality to do a decent job in the middle, as he showed in the 2-2 draw at home to Liverpool back in October beside Gabriel.
This would be a hugely risky but very interesting option should Arteta wish to shake things up completely, just like his mentor Pep Guardiola often does in these huge games.
Switching from a four at the back to a three with two wing-backs, this would look to stifle Madrid’s attacking talents, while also adding another dimension on the counter.
Lewis-Skelly and Timber could tuck in, especially to protect Kiwior from Madrid’s speed demons, while also overlapping given the chance to provide support for Saka and Martinelli out wide.
Arsenal ratings v Fulham
ARSENAL had a night of mixed fortunes as they beat Fulham 2-1 at the Emirates.
Bukayo Saka not only returned but also scored after 101 days out.
But injuries to Gabriel and Jurrien Timber ahead of next week’s visit of Real Madrid took the gloss off the win.
Here’s How SunSport’s Josh Hall rated Mikel Arteta’s men on the night.
DAVID RAYA – 7
Week by week Raya is staking a claim as one of the best goalkeepers in the league.
He doesn’t have to face a barrage of shots as part of this Arsenal team, but rarely falters when he is called upon.
His distribution and preventative high claims are also among the best around.
There was little he could have done to stop Rodrigo Muniz’s deflected goal.
JURRIEN TIMBER – 6
It looked like the Dutchman’s night was going to be cut short around the half an hour mark when he went down clutching his knee.
Fortunately, he was able to play on and even managed to test Bend Leno with a stinging effort in the second half.
Unfortunately his earlier knock proved too much and he was taken off with a niggle in the 75th minute.
Arsenal could now be without at least two starting defenders for their clash with Real Madrid.
GABRIEL – N/A
Just when Arsenal fans thought they were creeping out of their injury crisis with the return of Bukayo Saka, they lose another top star.
Gabriel hobbled off after just 15 minutes to be replaced by Jakub Kiwior.
Arteta – and every Arsenal fan up and down the country – will be hoping the wall at the back will be fighting fit for their Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid next week.
WILLIAM SALIBA – 6
Stepped up to the plate in Gabriel’s absence and looked assured both on and off the ball.
His frame did wonders to prevent Raul Jimenez from fashioning any chances in dangerous areas.
However, he wasn’t able to do enough to stop Rodrigo Muniz from batting it against him to pull a late goal back for Fulham.
MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY – 7
Every time you see Lewis-Skelly play you wonder how he’s only 18 and not a seasoned pro with years of experience at the top.
He didn’t set the world alight against the Cottagers, but looked just as assured and comfortable as he always does – this time without Gabriel by his side.
While he also made an important bloke to prevent Muniz after Fulham had pulled back a late goal.
Mikel Arteta has splashed the cash to have a plethora of options at left-back, yet it seems like the Hale End academy graduate is now the number one choice for that position.
THOMAS PARTEY – 7
Almost gifted Fulham a golden opportunity with a loose header in the first half, but saw David Raya pop up to save the day.
Despite a few loose touches he did enough to keep the ball moving in central areas.
He’s become an important starter for Arsenal this season, yet still seems to be on his way out in the summer on the expiration of his deal.
DECLAN RICE – 6
He’s not a glamorous footballer, but he’s always going to give 100 per cent no matter what.
Certainly not his worst game in an Arsenal shirt, but by no means his best.
MARTIN ODEGAARD – 5
Another frustrating night for the Arsenal captain who seems to have been unable to find the keys to unlock the low block his side faces each week.
The Norwegian is certainly one of the best talents in the league, but has only shown it in glimpses this season.
Arsenal as a whole looked a bit laboured and lacklustre at times, often that’s a result of the way Odegaard is playing. When he ticks, the whole team does too.
GABRIEL MARTINELLI – 9
Regularly made Timothy Castagne look silly throughout the match and get into dangerous positions by the byline.
But despite fashioning plenty of opportunities, the Brazilian was – as per usual – struggling with his end product in the first half.
It almost seemed as if every shot or final pass was rushed or snatched at for the opening 45 minutes.
That changed in the second half when his delightful flick perfectly teed up Bukayo Saka for a dream return to action.
Finally looked like he had the goal to top off a spectacular performance in the dying moments, but was deemed to be marginally offside when his effort found the back of the net.
ETHAN NWANERI – 7
Bright spark in the opening exchanges and volleyed one right down the throat of Bernd Leno in the 21st minute as he looked the most likely to find the back of the net at first.
Instead it was his cutback that helped open the scoring when he placed it on to the boot of Mikel Merino to poke home the first goal of the night.
Replaced by Saka in the second half in perhaps a foreshadowing of what might happen to his role in the squad for the remainder of the season.
MIKEL MERINO – 8
Merino has stepped up the role of of make-shift striker with the sort of professionalism you would want from any player in your team.
He might not make darting runs behind the back four, or curl delightful efforts round the keeper, but he’s certainly got a knack for goal.
His punt towards goal took a healthy deflection off Jorge Cuenca to send it into the corner, but he won’t care – now netting an impressive five goals in eight games as a centre-forward.
He almost made that six when he rifled another effort goalward from a corner in the 60th minute.
SUBS:
JAKUB KIWIOR – 4 (ON FOR GARBRIEL 15mins)
Always a tough task to replace one of the best defenders in the league, but didn’t do enough to impress at all.
Sloppily gave the ball away to gift a golden opportunity to Adama Traore in the second half, but was lucky to see the shot blazed wide.
He was partly to blame for leaving Rodrigo Muniz wide open for his wayward header on the 80th minute mark – once again saved by sloppy finishing.
With each game that passes it seems to be more obvious that the Polish international just isn’t at the required level.
BUKAYO SAKA – 8 (ON FOR NWANERI 66mins)
The Emirates erupted in its loudest cheer of the night when Saka made his return to action after 21 games and 101 days on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.
That was until he nodded home the Gunners’ second just six minutes after crossing the line and an even louder roar bellowed around N5.
Arsenal have missed him dearly, and a return right before perhaps the biggest European game in the Emirates era could be crucial for Mikel Arteta’s side.
LEANDRO TROSSARD – 5 (ON FOR TIMBER 77mins)
Had very little impact on the match coming on so late, but did nick the ball off the foot of captain Odegaard who was lining up a thunderous effort.
