Arsenal have been dealt with bad injury news, on top of a red card.
The Gunners had an excellent weekend in which major rivals all lost and demons were exorcised at St. James' Park in a 2-1 win where Mikel Arteta's side made a major statement over their title credentials.
Arsenal now sit just two points behind leaders Liverpool – but Arteta will know that this is a long season, with luck having deserted his side already with injuries.
After a red card, Arsenal have more bad injury news
We're just six games into the season, but Arteta has already had to deal with injuries to several key players as he juggles four competitions – with three first-half substitutions enforced in Arsenal's first four fixtures.
Bukayo Saka hobbled off against Leeds United, William Saliba has only just returned from an ankle injury, while Martin Odegaard has already been forced off twice – and that's without touching on issues sustained by Ben White, Piero Hincapie, Noni Madueke and Kai Havertz at this early point in the season.
It gets even worse for Arsenal – but indirectly – as Fabio Vieira appeared to suffer a serious knee injury on loan at Hamburg in the Bundesliga at the weekend.
The Athletic reported over the summer that the Gunners were looking at a £17 million buy-out clause for a loan exit for the Portuguese, who eventually moved to HSV after talks with Stuttgart broke down.
Vieira was dismissed in stoppage time against Union Berlin at the weekend in a 0-0 draw but looked to be in pain from a knee injury, with both Arsenal and Hamburg hoping that the playmaker hasn't damaged his anterior cruciate ligament.
This loan was perhaps Arsenal's best chance to recoup as much of the £30m they spent in 2026, before Vieira was allowed to leave for a free at the end of 2027 when his contract expired.
The Portuguese impressed in flashes in North London but injuries and consistency hampered him from ever really challenging Martin Odegaard for a starting berth – and should this knee injury be as serious as it looks, his season in Germany may well already be over.
Vieira is valued at €22m by Transfermarkt. Arsenal are back in Champions League action this week when Olympiacos come to the Emirates Stadium.
