Arsenal injury news: Mikel Arteta faces tough decisions as crisis deepens

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been handed a festive blow after the Gunners were hit by two more injuries.

The Gunners secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Everton recently, but the win came at a high physical cost to the first-team squad.

Arteta’s side are top of the Premier League table, yet a mounting list of absentees is severely testing their depth.

While they came through Tuesday’s EFL Cup test against Crystal Palace on penalties, another player looked to sustain a seeming knee injury.

Arsenal injury news: Hincapie and Martinelli join list of absentees

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As reported by Sky Sports News, Piero Hincapie and Gabriel Martinelli have become the latest players to join Arsenal’s extensive injury list following recent top-flight fixtures.

Hincapie sustained a shoulder problem during the win against Everton and was subsequently omitted from the matchday squad to face Palace.

In another blow for the Gunners, Martinelli was forced off during the second half of Tuesday’s encounter after struggling with a heavy knock to the knee.

Arteta confirmed after the match that while the Brazilian attempted to play through the pain, he was ultimately too uncomfortable to continue.

“Martinelli is more a knock, and he wasn’t comfortable to carry on after the second half,” said Arteta after Tuesday's game.“With Piero, something different because he picked up a injury against Everton.”

The absence of Hincapie forced a tactical reshuffle, with Riccardo Calafiori shifting into a central defensive role alongside William Saliba.

How damaging could Hincapie’s injury be?

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The loss of Hincapie is particularly damaging as he joins fellow defenders Gabriel Magalhaes, Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera on the treatment table.

The upshot of the defensive crisis has left Arteta with very few senior options, evidenced by the inclusion of 16-year-old Marli Salmon as cover on the bench.

While the return of Kai Havertz to training provides a timely boost to the attacking unit, the lack of specialist defenders remains a major concern for the coaching staff.

Arsenal must now find internal solutions and hope for good fortune in the latter part of December through the new year to maintain their defensive integrity.