How Arsenal Suffered ‘Shock Injury Blow’ After Final Whistle of Leeds Win

Piero Hincapié reportedly suffered an injury while going through his normal postmatch routine to sour Arsenal’s 2–1 victory over Leeds United on Saturday.

A collective exhale greeted the sharp parps of the final whistle at the Emirates. Arsenal had wobbled through a sloppy performance against an in-form Leeds side and still emerged with three points. The pain in Mikel Arteta’s eyes had been soothed by yet another demonstration of the quality the defending Premier League champions boast from the bench, with Bruno Guimarães coming on the score the winning goal.

However, it was another substitute which has come to Arteta’s attention for all the wrong reasons.

Piero Hincapié looking to the heavens in dismay. — Piero Hincapié is a very useful squad option. | Ivan Romano/Getty Images

Hincapié was only called upon for the final eight minutes of Saturday’s league match. As is typical for the players on the matchday roster who did not start the fixture, the Ecuador international joined his teammates in a cool-down session. Yet, this injury prevention sent Hincapié to the treatment room. The Athletic cite a privately ascertained video showing the 24-year-old unable to put any weight on his right side while being helped off the pitch.

Arsenal are yet to offer an official diagnosis and it remains unclear how long Hincapié could be sidelined for. If the left back is forced to skip any upcoming fixtures, Arsenal’s strength in depth will actually be tested.

How Arsenal Can Cope With Defensive Shortage

Myles Lewis-Skelly looking stern. — Myles Lewis-Skelly’s versatility could be needed. | David Price/Arsenal FC/Getty Images

Hincapié had already been struggling with a fitness issue before this latest setback. Without the combative left footer, Arteta’s only natural left back option is Riccardo Calafiori. That’s no bad thing; the Italian is enjoying a brilliant start to the season as Arsenal’s deft weapon of destruction. However, Calafiori has repeatedly proven to be vulnerable to niggles of his own, especially if he is overworked.

Arteta could turn to Myles Lewis-Skelly to pitch in at fullback. This was the teenager’s route into the first team before he graduated to midfield, where Lewis-Skelly has been playing so well in tandem with Declan Rice that Guimarães isn’t even guaranteed a start. Yet, the presence of the Brazilian would offer Arteta scope to rotate in the middle if Lewis-Skelly is shunted back.

Jurriën Timber could alternatively moonlight on his unnatural left hand side, even if the right footer never looks quite so comfortable on that wing.

Beyond fullback, Arteta isn’t blessed with an abundance of defensive options. While William Saliba continues his tentative return from a serious back injury, Arsenal only have three center backs to choose from; Gabriel, Ezri Konsa and Cristhian Mosquera. The last of those options, however, has not been included in a matchday squad since August while recovering from a hamstring injury.

The fixtures arrive in a deluge for Arsenal. The Champions League returns on Tuesday with a visit from French outfit Lille before the Gunners head on the road; taking on Nottingham Forest and German champions Bayern Munich in the space of four days. There are five games crammed into the remainder of October and November begins with the hardly gentle task of traveling to face Liverpool at Anfield.

For the sake of Hincapié and his teammates, there is abundance of hope that this injury isn’t as severe as it seems.

Arsenal’s Upcoming Fixtures

Date	Opponent	Competition
Oct. 13	Lille (H)	Champions League
Oct. 18	Nottingham Forest (A)	Premier League
Oct. 21	Bayern Munich (A)	Champions League
Oct. 24	Everton (H)	Premier League
Oct. 27	Fleetwood Town (A)	Carabao Cup
Nov. 1	Liverpool (A)	Premier League

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