Premier League leaders Arsenal have, on Thursday, been dealt not one, but two altogether untimely blows on the personnel front.
Mikel Arteta’s troops are of course currently locked in action.
After being held to a 2-2 stalemate in the tie’s reverse leg in Lisbon this day last week, the Gunners have welcomed Portuguese giants Sporting CP to north London, eyeing a spot in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
All to play for at the Emirates! 🔴
Arsenal take on Sporting in the Europa League with the tie all square at 2-2 👊#UEL pic.twitter.com/YPDrWoICpb
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 16, 2023
As alluded to above, though, amid the early exchanges at the Emirates Stadium, it is not the scoreline which has proven the main talking point from an Arsenal perspective.
Instead, this has come in the form of two untimely injury blows.
Restored to the starting XI amid efforts on the part of boss Mikel Arteta to rotate his squad, first, Takehiro Tomiyasu lasted less than ten minutes, before being forced to limp off.
Ben White, afforded a rare rest from the off, was in turn introduced in the Japanese’s place.
We’ve been forced into an early change…
↩️ Tomiyasu
🔛 White🔴 0-0 🟢 (9) pic.twitter.com/DquC9GcAzK
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 16, 2023
The woes of Arteta’s men, though, did not end there.
Moments after taking the lead on the night through Granit Xhaka, the Gunners were forced into a 2nd change, when William Saliba pulled up with a muscular concern.
Taking no chances amid such a key stretch of the campaign, Rob Holding was therefore swiftly thrown into the fray in the Frenchman’s place.
We’ve had to make another substitution…
↩️ Saliba
🔛 Holding🔴 1-0 🟢 (21) pic.twitter.com/0gDeq9Lyrk
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 16, 2023
Arsenal vs Sporting live stream: How to watch Europa League last 16 first leg online
