Arsenal handed fresh blow as reason for player's absence vs Man Utd confirmed

Mikel Arteta will not have one of his key defenders available for Sunday’s clash with Manchester United, and perhaps not for a significant spell. The Gunners are in FA Cup action on Sunday when they face the struggling Red Devils at home with a fourth round spot up for grabs.

It’s a competition Arteta appears to be taking seriously with a very strong team put out, and one that would represent a team selection for a Premier League fixture. With Arsenal’s Carabao Cup final spot in doubt after a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United in the first leg of the semi-finals, Arteta will see the FA Cup as an avenue to silverware that he will want to keep alive.

Though, injuries have not been particularly kind to Arsenal over the festive period, and few would have turned their nose up at Arteta if he had rested some of the key players he has had to rely heavily upon so far this season.

In fact, coming into this game, Arsenal have been dealt another blow, and one that could have Premier League consequences given the Gunners are back in league action as early as Wednesday night when they face rivals Tottenham in the North London derby.

Riccardo Calafiori has been ruled out with what appears to be a fresh setback. The Italian has struggled with injury this season, but he was fit enough to be on the bench for the cup clash with Newcastle. He has now been left out of the squad altogether, and the club website has confirmed that the Italian is out with injury.

The £40million signing has so far missed 11 games through injury this season, which includes two through a calf injury and the rest through knee issues across two separate spells, though it was likely the same injury. Arteta is likely to give specifics on this particular setback after the game on Sunday.

Arteta hoping for FA Cup glory

Arteta said ahead of this one: “It’s a massive part of our history, we’ve won it 14 times and it is a competition very attached to us. It’s a beautiful game to play against a massive club, and a very special occasion as well with the amount supporters that they're going to bring, so it’s a very big game.”

He added on United’s improvements: “It’s true they played a little bit differently, with the personnel that they used, the location of certain players. The characteristics of the players that they had dictate what they do, where they are, have more threat on both sides, to feet and in behind because in the end that’s what determines the behaviours of a team. It is different the last few weeks to when we played them here at home so I’m expecting a few different things.”