Arsenal's injury crisis could derail the hopes of the Champions League

The knockout may not have happened before the end of the match, but Arsenal never really overcame the shock against Manchester United in 149 seconds in the FA Cup clash at Emirates.

The former tournament has always been an ideal hunting ground for the Gunners, who have won the trophy 13 times, once more than their illustrious opponents in North London.

However, the hosts' hopes of lifting the cup for the fourth time in six years effectively ended the moment when Sokratis Papastathopoulos was forced to leave his post just 20 minutes after apparently spinning his ankle during a landing. difficult.

The Greek withdrawal disrupted Arsenal's already-injured injury defense, which almost immediately began to fight against United's counterattacking prowess. His absence was aggravated by the loss of Laurent Koscielny, injured face in the second half.

The game certainly did not miss any dramatic points or points of discussion, that's for sure. In addition to the injuries, there was also Alexis Sanchez who took a sharp angle against his former club – much to the frustration of local fans, who booed the Chilean end to end.

However, Alexis was not the chief executioner of Arsenal. This role belonged to Romelu Lukaku, a surprise selection on the right wing but with multiple dividends, with the Belgian striker setting up Alexis for the first match, then Lingard for the second.

Both goals came from United's first two shots, underscoring how vulnerable Unai Emery's team could be when their tactics were disrupted mid-game, as both strikes were the result of unwanted offside attempts.

In terms of benefits, Aaron Ramsey impressed again after winning the Premier League Premier League Premier League 2-0 win over top-four rivals Chelsea.

Indeed, it is the Welsh's creativity that allowed Arsenal to return to the match, defeating Eric Bailly on the left side before seeing his fumble captured by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the box.

However, the exit of Koscielny was a new blow for the worn defense of the Gunners.

At present, Hector Bellerin and Rob Holding are both absent for the remainder of the season, while Sokratis runs a scanner on Saturday to find out the extent of his ankle problem, which means that 39, a defensive acquisition is necessary before closing the transfer window. more than ever.

Of course, Emery has already admitted that Arsenal could only sign a loan this month and that it only remains for him a week or so.

Denis Suarez and Christopher Nkunku were targeted, but no player could fill the gaping holes that Arsenal has now at the back.

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Dinos Mavropanos is considered a capable substitute, but he has not played a competitive match since the end of last season, which means that an experienced addition is essential for the Gunners to have the slightest chance of catching Chelsea, fourth.

An exit from the FA Cup in the hands of the old rival, United will definitely sting. Arsenal have now lost six matches in all competitions in the United Arab Emirates against the Red Devils – no opponents have won more ground games.

However, Emery now has bigger problems to solve, namely a growing list of injuries that could well wipe out his hopes of returning to the Champions League either by finishing fourth or winning the Europa League.