Arsenal suffer another injury blow on top of Riccardo Calafiori in Man Utd clash
Mikel Arteta was forced to take Gabriel Jesus off early against Manchester United on Sunday.
Arsenal have been handed another injury blow in the first half against Manchester United after full-back Riccardo Calafiori was ruled out ahead of the FA Cup tie.
The defender was left out of the Gunners’ matchday squad on Sunday afternoon. The Arsenal website provided a vague update on the defender, simply confirming that the summer signing is ‘out injured’.
The £40 million man has missed 11 fixtures already this season with a calf injury and a knee injury and now looks set for another period on the sidelines. He could be joined on the treatment table by Gabriel Jesus, who was stretchered off against the Red Devils.
Gabriel Jesus limps off against Man Utd
Jesus was replaced shortly before the break by Raheem Sterling after a coming together with Manchester United man Bruno Fernandes. BBC reporter Alex Howell wrote: “Gabriel Jesus covers his face with his shirt as he is stretchered off. He fell awkwardly after that coming together with Bruno Fernandes. Not what Arsenal need with the injuries they have already.”
The Brazilian striker has played 26 times in all competitions so far this season but was absent for two early Premier League games with a calf injury. Jesus has been in and out of the starting XI over the season but found a rich vein of form over the festive fixture period.
The forward bagged a brace against Crystal Palace and was on target against Brentford in the league, as well as netting a hat-trick against the Eagles in the Carabao Cup. Praising the player after that hat-trick, Arteta said: “It is about confidence. When you haven’t scored a goal for almost a year, it is tough. Gabby is someone that wants to do more. He wants to work hard and help the team in any way.
“Today he got rewarded. The movement, the quality of his touches, the way he finished the actions; it is a big, big thing for him. We got Gabby back at his best and at that level, he can really deliver for us.”
With Jesus now potentially facing time away from action, it leaves Arsenal even shorter for options in the forward position with star boy Bukayo Saka and youngster Ethan Nwaneri also out injured. Midfielder Martin Odegaard also appeared to pick up a strain in the first half against Manchester United, but appeared to have shaken that off during half time as he returned to action after the break.
Mikel Arteta on January transfer window
Ahead of facing the Red Devils, Arteta had been quizzed on whether bringing in a new striker would be a priority for the January transfer window. He said: “First of all, someone that can impact the team, bringing in bodies doesn't help us all. It’s just about somebody who can immediately impact our performance and can bring something that we don't have. To find that in this market is very difficult to achieve.
“We always have discussions with the ones above about how we can improve the team, whether the market is open or closed because you have to plan for what the necessities are right now. and what they could be in a month. Those discussions are always open.
“No, the circumstances change because we have certain injuries for some big players, so it's always a possibility but always it’s about somebody that is really going to make us much better.”