Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will have to find solutions to a defensive injury crisis when the Gunners face Everton in the Premier League on Saturday lunchtime.
Tuesday’s 2-1 victory over Fulham came at quite the cost, as Ben White (knock) was ruled out before the game, while Gabriel Magalhaes (hamstring) and Jurrien Timber (knee) suffered issues during.
It is still not clear how serious all of their problems are, but the initial signs on Gabriel are supposedly worrying, while White and Timber will surely be spared for Real Madrid even if they are given the green light to return immediately.
As a result, Arteta should have little choice but to draft Jakub Kiwior and Thomas Partey into the backline, the latter deputising at right-back and the former partnering William Saliba in the central area.
However, Arteta is still spoiled for choice at left-back even with Riccardo Calafiori and Takehiro Tomiyasu also missing, and given that Myles Lewis-Skelly is surely nailed on to start against Real Madrid, the teenager may be wrapped in bubble wrap on Saturday as Oleksandr Zinchenko comes in.
Partey covering at right-back means that a spot will open up in midfield for Jorginho to slot in alongside Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice, as Mikel Merino continues in the emergency number nine role.
Bukayo Saka could hardly be banging louder on Arteta’s door for a start after marking his first appearance of 2025 with a goal on Tuesday, but with Los Blancos on the horizon, he may be held back as Ethan Nwaneri reprises his role.
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; Partey, Saliba, Kiwior, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice; Nwaneri, Merino, Martinelli
> Click here to see how Everton could line up for this game
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