Arsenal may be without a whole back-four for the second straight Premier League match when they play Fulham.
Four days after their much-changed back-line kept a clean sheet in the 2-0 win over Manchester United, the same defensive unit could be called upon, once again, at Craven Cottage. Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko came in for their first and second league starts this season to replace the injured Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori.
After that win, Mikel Arteta acknowledged that Gabriel felt something during the Gunners’ 5-2 victory over West Ham United, during which he went off at half-time for Kiwior. Calafiori also left that match early in the second half after only recently returning from a knee injury.
Arteta suggested the squad would have to see how their Italy international reacted this week but, like Gabriel, conceded there was some chance they would play against Fulham. Late fitness tests are likely required for both players by Sunday afternoon (2pm) to determine their availability.
Myles Lewis-Skelly may also be missing with Arteta confirming after the West Ham win that they lost the academy graduate to an issue in training on Friday. The teenager did not feature in the matchday squad for the United match and has also, seemingly, yet to be present in training this week, much like Calafiori and Gabriel.
Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are two players who there are no doubts about in the short-term – as both men remain side-lined with knee injuries. The latter is set to be out for several months after having surgery and may not be back until March.
