Arsenal have been hit by a double injury blow ahead of their Carabao Cup fourth round clash with Brighton, with William Saliba and Gabriel Martinelli both ruled out. But there is some relief for boss Mikel Arteta as Bukayo Saka returns to the squad after illness.
Arteta confirmed on Tuesday that French defender Saliba will miss the midweek tie after picking up a knock in Sunday’s hard fought 1-0 Premier League win over Crystal Palace at the Emirates. The centre back was withdrawn at half time and replaced by Cristhian Mosquera.
Martinelli also ended that match in discomfort, limping off after the final whistle. Arteta revealed the Brazilian winger faces further assessment before a return date can be set.
“He is out against Brighton. We are still assessing him but he will not be involved,” Arteta said when asked about Saliba’s situation. Turning to Martinelli, he added: “It looks as though he’s going to be out. We need more tests to see how bad it is but this game comes too soon for him.”
There was better news for Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori, who both took knocks against Palace but have been passed fit to feature. And Saka, withdrawn on Sunday through illness, is ready to play again as Arsenal chase a place in the quarter finals.
Arteta’s injury list is beginning to pile up, particularly in attack. “Gabby Jesus is out, Kai Havertz is out, Martinelli and Noni Madueke are out. We have to be careful because there are not many options,” the Spaniard admitted.
Despite the setbacks, Arsenal’s depth gives them hope of maintaining their momentum. The Premier League leaders have invested heavily over the summer, bringing in striker Viktor Gyokeres and attacking talents Madueke and Eberechi Eze, along with defender Mosquera.
When asked if that depth makes life easier, Arteta was quick to dismiss the idea. “That word relaxed in football is impossible. We just try to manage the minutes and the load as best we can,” he said.
Arsenal, who last lifted the League Cup in 1993, will be looking to keep their strong form rolling as they welcome Brighton to North London. The Seagulls, sitting 13th in the Premier League, will fancy their chances against a side missing two key players, but with Saka back and the home crowd behind them, the Gunners will expect nothing less than another victory on their charge for silverware.