Indeed, amid a real selection crisis at Arsenal, things got even worse in midweek as Riccardo Calafiori went down with an injury.
The Italian had to be substituted in the Champions League, and Chris Sutton believes this could be quite a serious injury issue.
Indeed, according to Sutton this injury could be a nasty one.
Riccardo Calafiori injury could be nasty
Sutton shared his worry about Calafiori’s injury on the It’s All Kicking Off Podcast.
The pundit says that this one looked back because Calafiori opened his knee up, and the fact that he came back on only to come off again is a worrying sign too.
“It will be interesting to see what happens at the weekend. I’m not so sure he will be fit. I’m not a medical expert. But the nature of his injury looked like he opened his knee up. He actually came off initially and I thought, blimey, this could be trouble. But then he went back on and it’s never a good sign when a player goes back on,” Sutton said.
“Then he sat down and ended up coming off. Arsenal have got a problem. Who to play at centre half at the weekend? Maybe Calafiori would have been the one who moved inside. Instead of Saliba, I think they’ve got to pray that Timber is fit. Ben White will be fit.”
What are Arsenal’s defensive options?
Arsenal head into this game against Liverpool at the weekend with a depleted defence.
Calafiori looks like he could be out, William Saliba is suspended, and Jurrien Timber’s fitness is up in the air.
That is arguably three of Arsenal’s first-choice back four that is potentially out of action.
However, despite this, Arsenal can still field what is a very strong backline in this game.
Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes, Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko are all very talented players, and while they won’t be as cohesive a unit as Arsenal are used to having, they’re no pushovers.
Liverpool may well be licking their lips at the idea of playing against a second-string Arsenal defence, but Arne Slot’s side would be wise not to underestimate what is still a solid Gunners backline.
Arsenal will certainly be hoping that the Italian is back from injury sooner rather than later, because Calafiori has been brilliant so far in his debut season for Arsenal.
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