Arsenal face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge with a severely depleted squad due to a string of unfortunate injuries. Key defender William Saliba is the latest casualty, picking up a knock in training, joining Gabriel on the sidelines. This leaves manager Mikel Arteta with a selection headache in central defence.
Makeshift Defence for the Gunners
In a surprising move, Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie will partner up in the heart of the Arsenal defence. Both summer signings, they'll be thrown into the deep end against a strong Chelsea attack. Hincapie returns to the starting XI after featuring in the North London derby, while Mosquera gets a chance to prove his worth.
More Injury Woes for Arsenal
Adding to Arsenal's problems, Leandro Trossard is also unavailable after suffering an injury in their midweek win. Gabriel Martinelli will step in on the left wing, hoping to replicate his goalscoring impact from the Champions League game. Riccardo Calafiori replaces Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back, completing the changes to the starting lineup.
Return of Key Players Offers Hope
However, there's some positive news for Arsenal fans. Gabriel Jesus returns to the matchday squad for the first time in 322 days, since the FA Cup clash against Manchester United. Viktor Gyokeres is also back on the bench after recovering from a hamstring injury. Their presence will provide a much-needed boost to the team.
Chelsea's Unbeaten Run
Chelsea are in fine form, unbeaten in their last six matches and fresh off a Champions League victory against Barcelona. They've made only one change to their starting lineup, with Joao Pedro replacing Alejandro Garnacho. Cole Palmer is back on the bench after recovering from a toe injury.
Arsenal will need to dig deep and show resilience to overcome their injury crisis and secure a positive result against a confident Chelsea side. The makeshift defence will be under immense pressure, but the return of Jesus and Gyokeres offers a glimmer of hope for the Gunners.