Arsenal Suffers Double Blow as Key Players Miss Crucial Brighton Carabao Cup Clash

William Saliba and Gabriel Martinelli are set to be absent from Arsenal's Carabao Cup fourth round encounter against Brighton & Hove Albion, as confirmed by head coach Mikel Arteta on Tuesday.

Saliba was substituted by Cristhian Mosquera during the interval of the 1–0 victory against Crystal Palace over the weekend, raising renewed concerns about the French defender due to an ankle problem sustained earlier in the campaign. Martinelli, on the other hand, needed medical attention following the same match, after coming on as a substitute for Bukayo Saka in the latter stages at Emirates Stadium.

While Arteta has previously indicated players were unavailable before ultimately naming them in his lineup, the Spanish manager was definitive during his pre-match media briefing that both players will be sidelined against Brighton.

"He's unavailable. We're evaluating his condition but he won't feature in this fixture," Arteta stated during his pre-match press conference. "It appears Martinelli will also be ruled out. We need to conduct additional assessments to determine the severity of his injury, but this match comes too soon for his return."

Squad Depth Having Early Impact

Arsenal prioritized strengthening their squad depth during the summer transfer window to ensure adequate cover across crucial positions.

Previously, losing Saliba or his central defensive partner Gabriel Magalhães to injury might have disrupted the Gunners' early season progress, but Arteta now possesses Mosquera and Piero Hincapié as viable alternatives.

Mosquera has delivered solid performances across 10 outings in various competitions this term. The 21-year-old has demonstrated versatility throughout the defensive line and is expected to deputize for Saliba against Brighton. Hincapié, acquired on loan from Bayer Leverkusen, may also receive his maiden start should Gabriel remain questionable after being uncertain for the Palace victory.

However, one defender who remains unavailable is Ben White. Arteta revealed he experienced a complication in his rehabilitation process and may also be ruled out.

Leandro Trossard, Eberechi Eze or Ethan Nwaneri could be selected for the left flank—a role Martinelli might have occupied if he were available.

Arteta: Saka, Rice and Calafiori All Available

Arteta also verified that Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori will be ready for team selection.

Saka had been managing illness before the Palace fixture, yet featured for 66 minutes before his withdrawal. Rice and Calafiori sustained minor knocks during the match, though these issues weren't significant enough to exclude them from the midweek cup fixture.

The Gunners continue to await the return of Noni Madueke and Kai Havertz from their respective injuries.