Arsenal confirm Pablo Mari suffered 'significant' ankle injury during Manchester City defeat

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George Flood19 June 2020

Arsenal have confirmed that defender Pablo Mari suffered a "significant" injury during Wednesday's return to Premier League action against Manchester City.

The Spanish defender, currently on loan from Brazilian outfit Flamengo, started alongside Shkodran Mustafi in central defence at the Etihad but lasted for just 24 minutes of a 3-0 defeat before pulling up with a left ankle issue and being replaced by David Luiz.

It was just one of a succession of blows on a miserable night for Arsenal, who also lost midfielder Granit Xhaka to an ankle injury early on and saw Luiz sent off after he had gifted two goals to Pep Guardiola's side.

There were fears that Mari could now be ruled out for the remainder of the 2019-20 season, throwing up question marks over his future, with Arsenal retaining the option to sign the 26-year-old - who has made only three appearances since arriving in English football in January - on a permanent deal for an £8million fee this summer.

The player underwent further medical evaluation on Friday, with Arsenal subsequently announcing that his problem was "significant".

Flamengo loanee Pablo Mari suffered a serious ankle injury on just his third appearance for Arsenal at the Etihad
REUTERS

No specific time frame has been put on the injury at this stage, with the Gunners adding only that Mari will require further assessment by a specialist.

His absence only worsens manager Mikel Arteta's centre-back issues ahead of Saturday's trip to Brighton, with Luiz suspended, Sokratis Papastathopoulos nursing a thigh strain and Calum Chambers (knee) already lost for the season.

Rob Holding could make a rare appearance at the Amex this weekend, or else Arteta could decide to shift right-back Kieran Tierney into a more central role.

There was better news from Arsenal on Xhaka, who is expected to resume training within the next fortnight after the ankle injury he suffered during an accidental collision with team-mate Matteo Guendouzi at the Etihad.

In Pictures | Man City vs Arsenal | 17/06/2020

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Likewise Sokratis and Southampton loanee Cedric Soares, who sustained a broken nose in training earlier this month after recovering from a serious knee injury that prevented him from featuring at all for Arsenal prior to the Premier League's coronavirus-enforced suspension.

Meanwhile, combative midfielder Lucas Torreira should return to training in two to three weeks following the ankle fracture he sustained in the FA Cup last-16 win at Portsmouth in March.

After facing Brighton on Saturday, Arsenal return to the south coast next Thursday for a meeting with Southampton at St Mary's before an FA Cup quarter-final date with Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on June 28.

Arteta's side finally return home to the Emirates to battle relegation-threatened Norwich City on July 1 ahead of matches against Wolves, Leicester City, Tottenham, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Watford.

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