Arsenal have been dealt a defensive setback ahead of their Premier League clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers, with full-back Riccardo Calafiori set to miss the game due to a one-match suspension.
The 23-year-old collected his fifth yellow card of the season during Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa.
Calafiori’s absence adds to Arsenal’s defensive woes, with centre-backs Gabriel Magalhaes and Cristhian Mosquera also sidelined. Mosquera is set to be out for “weeks” after suffering an ankle injury earlier this week, leaving manager Mikel Arteta with a severely depleted backline.
Academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly is expected to step in at left-back, while Piero Hincapie and Jurrien Timber are likely to continue in central defence. The reshuffled defence will be under close scrutiny as Arsenal navigate a demanding fixture schedule.
Calafiori appeared to limp during the Villa clash, prompting speculation that his absence could be influenced by both injury and disciplinary reasons. Despite the setback, club sources suggest the enforced break could be a “blessing in disguise,” allowing the Italian international to recover ahead of a busy run of matches.
Asked about the challenge of rotating his defence, Arteta said: “It is what it is, and we have to cope with that for a period of time as well, we know that. And the team has to be able to adapt to that, not look for excuses.
“Obviously, we know what those two [Gabriel and William Saliba] bring, especially in a game like this. But the other two [Piero Hincapie and Jurrien Timber], I think they were exceptional as well today.”
Arsenal now enter a critical phase of their season, balancing Premier League and European commitments. With defensive options limited, the Gunners will need to adapt quickly if they are to maintain their push for silverware on multiple fronts.