Arsenal faced fresh injury concerns after defeating Leeds United
BBC Sport reports that Arsenal defender Piero Hincapie had to be sent off after their 2-1 win over Leeds United. The Ecuador stopper is said to have been ruled out due to an ankle problem during the Gunners’ warm-up.
One report claimed that the play should have been done during warm-ups because Hincapie completed an extra run after the final whistle. It is an untimely setback for Mikel Arteta’s side, with William Saliba already sidelined with a back problem. Hincapie came on at full-back late on to replace Riccardo Calafiori, but any long-term injury has left Arsenal dangerously short at the back.
Cristhian Mosquera has been left out of the squad to return to domestic football and has not featured for the Gunners since August 31 in a 1-0 win over Aston Villa. Summer signing Ezri Konsa managed to put his worries aside in victory over Daniel Farke’s side after missing England’s 3-0 win over the Czech Republic in the Nations League final.
Speaking after the win, Arteta smiled: “It’s been a special week.” “I felt extremely respected and loved and the best way to give back is to win football matches.
“It was a difficult context coming into the game with the defeat against Brighton, it was still hurting and we were without players for three weeks. We had 16 players traveling around the world and basically a day to prepare for a massive game.
“I think we started really well, but we didn’t punish them in the right areas and in situations where we should have finished with more chances and danger.
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“Then the game is open and they are a very physical team, very direct, really intense in pressing and every time you hit the box you struggle.
“We conceded a goal and then: what are we? You come from defeat, so I gave them a little pinch of what it means to wear this shirt and how you have to react in difficult moments.
“The response was unbelievable – first from the players, then from the crowd. We created that energy, that belief, the belief that we were going to change the game and then the finishers came and made a big difference.
“When you’re coming off a tough loss and you’re emotionally battered, that’s what we need. Regardless of the context of the game, you find a way to win it.”
Arsenal had to come from behind to win for the second time in three matches as Bruno Guimaraes came to the north London club’s rescue.
After a goalless first half, Leeds needed to open the scoring when James Justin hit the back post just 10 minutes into the second half.
The gap was short-lived when Calafiori equalized just seven minutes later and the Brazilian completed the comeback eight minutes later by drilling into the bottom corner.