Arsenal hit with fresh injury before Liverpool clash as star forced off against Shakhtar

Arsenal's woes have deepened after Riccardo Calafiori was forced to leave the pitch with an injury during the match against Shakhtar Donetsk.

The Italian defender, who signed from Bologna in the summer, seemed to injure his knee and had to be substituted by Myles Lewis-Skelly. After receiving medical attention on the field, Calafiori walked off the Emirates Stadium pitch with the assistance of a physio.

A slip on the turf led to a distressing scene as Calafiori's knee twisted unnaturally, leaving Arsenal anxious about his condition.

The Gunners are already facing a defensive crisis with William Saliba suspended for the upcoming Liverpool game following his red card against Bournemouth, and Jurrien Timber sidelined with an injury that kept him out of Tuesday's Champions League fixture. With Takehiro Tomiyasu also injured, manager Mikel Arteta may find himself in a tight spot to assemble a backline.

Additionally, there is concern over Bukayo Saka, who missed another game and is racing against time to recover for the clash with Liverpool.

When asked about Saka's situation before the Shakhtar game, Arteta offered little reassurance, saying: "At the moment I'm not very helpful. Let's see," he remarked. "We still have a few days."