Mikel Arteta concerned after Riccardo Calafiori joins Arsenal injury list

Arsenal's injury woes deepened after Riccardo Calafiori was forced to leave the pitch during their win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the second half, with manager Mikel Arteta calling the situation "not great news."

In Short

• Arsenal's Calafiori injured, adds to Mikel Arteta's worries
• William Saliba suspended for Liverpool clash
• Arteta confident team will recover for Sunday

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta faces mounting concerns ahead of the club's critical Premier League clash against Liverpool, as left-back Riccardo Calafiori becomes the latest addition to an expanding injury list. During Arsenal's 1-0 Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday, Calafiori was forced off in the second half after twisting his right knee, leaving Arteta with more selection headaches.

Calafiori joins a growing list of key players who are sidelined, including captain Martin ˜degaard, Bukayo Saka, and defender Jurrien Timber. The Italian defender's injury is particularly worrying, as Arsenal are already struggling with a depleted squad.

"He felt something and couldn't continue playing," Arteta said post-match. "It's a bit of a worry."

While Arsenal secured the win through an own goal by Shakhtar goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk, the injury news overshadowed the result. Calafiori's departure was another blow to an Arsenal defense already stretched by the absence of William Saliba, who will miss the Liverpool match due to suspension after receiving a red card in the recent 2-0 loss to Bournemouth.

˜degaard remains sidelined with an ankle injury suffered last month, and his absence on Sunday looks almost certain. Meanwhile, there is growing uncertainty surrounding Saka's availability. The star winger injured his hamstring while on England duty and has missed Arsenal's last two fixtures.

"He wasn't able to train yet, so it's unlikely," Arteta admitted when asked about Saka's chances of playing against Liverpool.

Despite the mounting issues, Arteta provided some relief by confirming that Ben White, who was substituted at half-time against Shakhtar, had not sustained an injury. "It was my decision to take him out. He had a yellow card, and we've played enough with 10 men in recent games, so I didn't want to take any chances."

Arsenal's performance against Shakhtar reflected the growing fatigue within the squad. Although they dominated possession and missed several clear chances, including a late penalty by Leandro Trossard, the team looked visibly tired.

"We should have put the game to bed," Arteta said. "We looked tired, and that's understandable given the schedule."

Despite the weary display, Arteta remains confident his team will recover in time for the Liverpool match, with the Premier League leaders sitting four points above Arsenal.

"We've got four days to recover. Believe me, come Sunday we'll be flying," Arteta added w