Arsenal suffer another setback as star is ‘ruled out for at least 6 weeks’

Arsenal defender Cristhian Mosquera is expected to miss six to eight weeks after picking up an ankle injury during the win over Brentford on Wednesday.

The 20-year-old was forced off in the first half after landing awkwardly and was replaced by Jurrien Timber.

The blow comes at a difficult time for Mikel Arteta, with several key players already unavailable. First-choice centre-back pair William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães are currently sidelined, while Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard are also out.

Mosquera has been filling in at centre-back alongside Piero Hincapié in recent games, helping Arsenal remain top of the Premier League and strong in the Champions League League Phase.

Arteta confirmed during his press conference on Friday that the injury appears serious.

“This one is more complicated,” the manager said. “We have another test today to fully understand the situation.”

There is some positive news for Arsenal fans, as Saliba is close to returning and could feature against Aston Villa on Saturday. Arteta previously said the French defender was only “a matter of days” from full fitness.

If Saliba is not ready, Timber or Ben White are likely to partner Hincapié in central defence.

After the trip to Villa Park, Arsenal face Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday.