Arsenal lose Xhaka and Mari to injury inside 25 minutes of Premier League restart

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Mikel Arteta saw Arsenal sustain a double injury blow early against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

Arsenal lost Granit Xhaka and Pablo Mari to injuries inside 25 minutes of their Premier League resumption at Manchester City.

Former Gunners skipper Xhaka collided with team-mate Matteo Guendouzi and was replaced by Dani Ceballos after just eight minutes having seemingly injured his right ankle.

Mari, an ex-City defender on loan at Arsenal from Flamengo, appeared to pull his calf when chasing Kyle Walker, with experienced centre-back David Luiz entering the fray.

The quick substitutions could bring the issue of player fitness back to the fore following the three-month enforced break for the coronavirus pandemic.

City manager Pep Guardiola, who had an injury concern of his own when Riyad Mahrez appeared to be hobbling, said pre-game his team were not prepared for the flurry of 10 Premier League fixtures in the space of six weeks.

It was a positive test from Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta - Guardiola's former assistant at the Etihad Stadium - that decisively moved the Premier League towards suspension in March.

Arsenal lose Xhaka and Mari to injury inside 25 minutes of Premier League restart

Mikel Arteta saw Arsenal sustain a double injury blow early against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

Arsenal lost Granit Xhaka and Pablo Mari to injuries inside 25 minutes of their Premier League resumption at Manchester City.

Former Gunners skipper Xhaka collided with team-mate Matteo Guendouzi and was replaced by Dani Ceballos after just eight minutes having seemingly injured his right ankle.

Mari, an ex-City defender on loan at Arsenal from Flamengo, appeared to pull his calf when chasing Kyle Walker, with experienced centre-back David Luiz entering the fray.

The quick substitutions could bring the issue of player fitness back to the fore following the three-month enforced break for the coronavirus pandemic.

City manager Pep Guardiola, who had an injury concern of his own when Riyad Mahrez appeared to be hobbling, said pre-game his team were not prepared for the flurry of 10 Premier League fixtures in the space of six weeks.

It was a positive test from Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta - Guardiola's former assistant at the Etihad Stadium - that decisively moved the Premier League towards suspension in March.

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