Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta confirmed a double injury blow for the club following the disappointing 3-0 defeat to Liverpool last night.
The Gunners were completely outclassed by the reigning champions and succumbed to their biggest margin of defeat against the Reds at home in the Premier League era.
Before the game, it was confirmed that David Luiz was nursing a knee injury, and Arteta acknowledged that he could be out for a while with a surgery possibly required.
He told Arsenal.com: “We don’t know. There a few possibilities on that, being a little more conservative with the treatment or having to go for a surgery.”
“We are talking with the doctors at the moment to make the right decision on that, but we’ll see. He could be out for a few weeks at least.”
Meanwhile, there was more concerning news regarding Kieran Tierney, who was substituted before the break with an apparent knee concern.
Following the game, Arteta confirmed the setback for the Scotland international but was unsure over the exact timescale for the recovery.
He added: “He felt something in his knee. He was in pain, so it looks like he will be injured, but we don’t know how long for.”
Sportslens view:
Arteta was missing key players such as Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Granit Xhaka due to fitness issues and decided against playing them.
The manner of the defeat was concerning, given the Gunners hardly tested the inexperienced backline of Ozan Kabak and Nat Phillips.
With the loss, they remain nine points adrift of the top four, and they may now need to win the Europa League to secure a Champions League berth.
The absence of Luiz and Tierney will be a big blow, and the former could be ruled out for the rest of the campaign.
Tierney has been the Gunners’ most creative full-back this term, and the club don’t have another specialist left-back in the squad.
Cedric Soares will need to step up when the Gunners host Slavia Prague in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final on Thursday.
The likes of Saka, Smith Rowe and Xhaka could return for the midweek European tie to provide a timely boost for the north London club.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
Read: Arsenal working on a deal for this Bundesliga defender valued at €30 million.
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