Mikel Arteta reacts during an Arsenal game
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been forced into a last-minute change for the game against Brighton
Arsenal are have been forced to start Myles Lewis-Skelly instead of Riccardo Calafiori for their match against , after the Italian defender headed down the tunnel during his pre-match warm-up. Calafiori was initially announced by to be playing as part of a back three alongside and Piero Hincapie.
However, after suffering the issue pre-match, the Gunners were quick to take to social media to announce their last-minute change. They wrote on X: "Myles Lewis-Skelly replaces Riccardo Calafiori in the line-up after the Italian picked up an issue in the warm-up."
At the time of writing, it is unknown what issue Calafiori has sustained in his preparations for the fixture. It comes as the star's second injury of the season, after a hip problem in November caused him to early.
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It's the second big blow of the afternoon for , who heads into the game against the Seagulls with an already stretched squad. Despite being pictured arriving at the Emirates Stadium ahead of kick-off, name was nowhere to be seen when the team-sheet was revealed.
Speaking about the defender on News, Arteta said: "We missed him because in the last part of the game he felt something and he could not carry on so he's out."
He joins a growing list of players currently side-lined with troubles, including the likes of and Cristhian Mosquera. Full-back White is currently nursing a hamstring injury, while Mosquera has suffered an issue with his ankle which will keep him out of action until the New year.
Elsewhere, teenage sensation, Max Dowman, has picked up an ankle injury of his own. As a result, he will be out of action for a couple of weeks.
Riccardo Calafiori looks on
Riccardo Calafiori was swapped out of the staring XI ahead of kick-off
(
Image:
Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
While will have been hopeful of having at his disposal against , the match comes as a touch too soon for the attacking midfielder, who has missed most of the season with a knee injury. Speaking about Havertz during a press conference earlier this week, Arteta said: "I think it will be a matter of days, if not weeks.
"Let's see in the next step how he responds to that. He's a player that we missed a lot, a player that brings the team into a different dimension. So, I'm really happy to have him back very soon."
On the plus side, was welcomed back to the squad for Saturday's outing, having recovered from an injury he sustained during the November international break with Brazil. Starting on the bench, Arteta said of the defender: "To all the medical (staff) and the player, they have all been pushing very hard and working extremely hard in the last few weeks to make him available for this game."
Piero Hincapie also returned to action after missing Arsenal's midweek game with , after picking up a knock against last weekend.
Arsenal XI: Raya; Rice, Saliba, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly; Zubimendi, Merino, Odegaard; Saka, Trossard, Gyokeres.
Substitutes: Arrizabalaga, Gabriel, Jesus, Eze, Martinelli, Norgaard, Madueke, Nwaneri, Salmon.
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