Arsenal have a number of injury issues already that they can afford to do without another one. But Mikel Arteta may have to do wihtout another of his summer signings following the win over Leicester City.
Mikel Merino has not been seen yet since his summer move to the Emirates Stadium after picking up a shoulder injury during training. The Spaniard could, however, return next weekend, with Arteta admitting this week was too soon.
Speaking on Friday, Arteta said: “[Leicester] is too soon. Next week, we’ll see. He had partial training. He’s been working so hard and it’s looking good. It’s about the healing of the bone and how mature that is to expose him to contact.”
Now one of Arteta’s other summer signings, Riccardo Calafiori, could also be out injured. Arsenal beat Leicester 4-2 at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, needing two injury-time goals to secure the points, despite having had 37 shots in the match.
The full-back can then be seen flicking out his leg, trying to shake off whatever twinge he may have felt in the impact with the floor.
Reports have suggested Calafiori may have gone down during the celebrations for Leandro Trossard’s second goal of the game too.
Arsenal already have captain Martin Odegaard also out injured, with Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kieran Tierney and Oleksandr Zinchenko on the treatment table too.
Calafiori was lucky to be on the pitch, having brought down Facundo Buonanotte when already on a yellow card, that ended with the Leicester man being booked for asking for the Arsenal star to be cautioned instead.
The Italian appeared to pick up a knee injury in an aerial battle with Foxes substitute Odsonne Edouard right at the end of the match. Footage shows Calafiori winning the header and when dropping to the floor appearing to jar his knee.
