Arsenal have been dealt another injury setback after defender Piero Hincapie was forced off during the second half of Thursday night's Premier League clash against Liverpool. The Ecuadorian, on loan from Bayer Leverkusen, hobbled off in the 57th minute and was replaced by Myles Lewis-Skelly.
The Gunners were looking to move eight points clear at the top of the table with a win against the reigning champions. However, with the score at 0-0, Hincapie's departure added to Mikel Arteta's defensive concerns, with Cristhian Mosquera and Riccardo Calafiori already ruled out before the match.
Arteta confirmed the duo's absence pre-match, saying: 'No. They're out again. I think pretty soon [they will return]. They have to go through the last stage of the rehab, and if everything goes well, hopefully soon they will be available for selection.'
Liverpool are one of only two sides to have beaten Arsenal this season, and Arteta acknowledged the challenge ahead. 'Excited. It's a massive game against the champions of the last Premier League. We have a point to prove,' he said. 'We are top of the table, we play at home against a really good opponent. We want to maintain our position.'
The Arsenal boss also praised Liverpool manager Arne Slot, saying: 'Liverpool have a great manager. They have a sensational structural understanding of what they have to do... we have to be conscious of that and focus on what we have to do.'
