Arteta counts cost of Arsenal win as injuries stack up

LONDON : Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said his side’s growing injury list was becoming a worry after Riccardo Calafiori limped off near the end of a scrappy 1-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday.
The London club started without captain and long-term absentee Martin Odegaard and forward Bukayo Saka and defender Calafiori now also looks like a doubt for Sunday’s crunch Premier League game against Liverpool after injuring his knee.
Jurrien Timber is also struggling to be fit for the visit of Liverpool while central defender William Saliba will be missing after his red card in the defeat at Bournemouth at the weekend.
“With Riccy he had to come off because he felt something. I don’t know the extent of it but it’s not good news, it’s a bit of a worry,” Arteta, whose side have seven points from their opening three Champions League games, told reporters.
Arsenal fans will be happy to learn that full back Ben White’s substitution at halftime was not injury-related but because he had picked up a yellow card.
“It was my decision to take him out. He had a yellow card, we have played enough with 10 men in recent periods,” Arteta said. “They had a lot of density, a lot of attacking players on that side and we didn’t want to take any chances.”
Arteta sounded pessimistic about the chances of Saka returning against leaders Liverpool, but was at least heartened by the way his side bounced back from the loss at Bournemouth, even if they struggled in the second half against Shakhtar.
Arsenal are fourth in the new 36-team group phase ahead of Wednesday’s fixtures.
“Very pleased with the result. Always difficult in Champions League. We should’ve scored more in the first half and the second half I felt a bit of fatigue,” Arteta said.
“Playing 60 minutes with 10 men (against Bournemouth) a few days ago is difficult. We left the game a bit open but we dug in for three points.”
Things could have been easier for Arsenal had Leandro Trossard’s penalty not been saved by visiting keeper Dmytro Riznyk who was unlucky to score the own goal that sealed the result in the first half.
“I don’t know (why Kai Havertz didn’t take the penalty). He is one of the takers but Leo took it,” Arteta said.
Arsenal’s failure to kill the game off almost cost them as Shakhtar grew in confidence and keeper David Raya was forced into a superb stoppage-time save to keep out a shot by Pedrinho.
“We haven’t conceded much but we need him in those moments,” Arteta said.
While Arteta has some injuries to deal with, his problems are nothing compared to those of Shakhtar coach Marino Pusic who spoke afterwards about the logistical difficulties facing a team from a country ravaged by the ongoing conflict with Russia.
“Our schedule is tough to travel. When I see the attitude and the positivity I’m proud,” he told TNT Sports.
“Tomorrow we fly back to Poland and then we drive on the bus to the train station and then take the night train which is around 20 hours. It’s a tough one. But this is the way it is.”

(Writing by Martyn Herman; Editing by Toby Davis)