Arsenal's 2-0 Premier League victory over Brentford on Wednesday night has been overshadowed by a fresh double injury blow, leaving club legend Emmanuel Petit 'worried' for the fitness of key players Declan Rice and Cristhian Mosquera.
Gunners' Defensive Crisis Worsens
The win, which sent Mikel Arteta's side five points clear at the summit once more, came at a significant cost. Arsenal were already without their first-choice centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes. Saliba picked up a knock in training before the Chelsea game, while Gabriel is sidelined with a thigh injury until late December.
In their absence, Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie started at centre-half. However, Hincapie was forced off late in the first half after an awkward landing. His replacement, Jurrien Timber, then saw fellow defender Mosquera also succumb to injury. The major concern arrived late in the game when Declan Rice was seen clutching his calf before having to leave the pitch.
Petit's Concern and Arteta's Update
Former Arsenal star Emmanuel Petit expressed his anxiety after the match. 'I am worried about Mosquera and Rice as well,' Petit told Premier League Productions. 'I don’t know if Rice is injured... I’m worried. I hope it is not bad for him because this guy is so important.'
Manager Mikel Arteta confirmed both players would undergo assessments on Thursday. 'Obviously it’s never good news, Declan had to come off, we don’t know, we have to see tomorrow what he’s got,' Arteta said. 'And Mosque [Mosquera] is the other one that is out. Obviously we have big Gabi and Willi out as well so we have to adapt.' On Rice specifically, he added: 'He could not carry on playing... He can walk but he could not play.'
Mounting Injury List for Title Challengers
This season, Arsenal have been plagued by fitness issues across the squad. The list of players who have had spells out includes:
- Bukayo Saka
- Martin Odegaard
- Gabriel Martinelli
- Leandro Trossard
- Kai Havertz (absent since opening weekend)
The potential loss of Declan Rice, a pivotal figure in midfield, and another central defender in Mosquera, presents a severe test of the squad's depth as they seek to maintain their lead at the top of the Premier League table.
