Man United travel to Premier League leaders Arsenal on Sunday.placeholder image
Man United travel to Premier League leaders Arsenal on Sunday. | Getty Images
Latest Arsenal injury updates ahead of Man United’s trip to the Emirates this weekend
Manchester United face one of the toughest tests around next up, as the Red Devils travel to north London to face Premier League leaders Arsenal on Sunday (16:30 GMT).
United remain active in the January transfer window as they hope to make additions to Carrick’s squad, with their aim of crashing the top four currently well within reach. Arsenal have built a strong squad under Mikel Arteta but may be without several first-team players for the visit of the Red Devils this weekend, with latest injury updates emerging following the Gunners’ 3-1 win away at Inter Milan on Tuesday night.
Arsenal injury latest ahead of Man Utd clash
While Arsenal are currently believed to have no new injury concerns ahead of their upcoming clash with United, as per reports by football.london, three players missed out at the San Siro and are unlikely to be back in time to play a part this weekend.
Left-back Riccardo Calafiori has not featured since the Carabao Cup victory over Crystal Palace on 23 December, picking up a muscle injury in the warm-up against Brighton & Hove Albion and missing the last eight games subsequently. The Italy international is expected to spend some more time on the side-lines and was not back in training in time for the trip to Milan, as per reports by Sky Sports News.
The same can be said for versatile defender Piero Hincapie, who picked up a groin issue in the goalless draw with Liverpool earlier this month and was also not seen back in training on Monday. Previous reports had speculated that the Bayer Leverkusen loanee could be back to face United but Arteta has remained tight-lipped about his recovery, with the 24-year-old absent from the squad on Tuesday.
The only additional injury issue Arsenal are currently contending with is wonderkid Max Dowman, who suffered an ankle ligament injury in a behind-closed-doors match with Man United before Christmas as per the Standard. The 16-year-old was ruled out of action for two months and is not expected to return to fitness until late February.
Arteta speaks on Mosquera return following Inter victory
Arsenal welcomed young centre-back Cristhian Mosquera back into the starting XI for the first time since early December on Tuesday night, and manager Arteta praised the club’s medical staff for their role in the recovery of the 21-year-old from an ankle injury after 11 matches out.
"The medical is tough and the physios put in all the hours in the day because they know we are short in the backline," Arteta told Amazon Prime after the final whistle at the San Siro, adding: "Remarkable."
Bukayo Saka had been a doubt for the match after Arteta confirmed he started on the bench with a “niggle” at Nottingham Forest, but the England man started and captained the Gunners in Milan with Martin Odegaard rested. Leandro Trossard returned to the starting line-up and Kai Havertz was on the bench as he returns from a long-term injury, with the Gunners likely only to be without Calafiori, Hincapie and Dowman on Sunday.
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