Arteta to make two Arsenal changes vs Tottenham as £44m star finally starts in PL
Arsenal host north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday.
Ahead of the game, manager Mikel Arteta has a selection headache on his hands.
Gabriel Magalhaes sustained a thigh injury on international duty. Arteta has confirmed that the centre-back will be sidelined for weeks.
Riccardo Calafiori is also doubtful for the derby, having returned early during the international break due to a minor hip problem.
The Italian left-back has not trained yet. The manager has hinted that he could be assessed during Saturday’s training session.
There could be two changes to the starting line-up from the Sunderland draw.
With Gabriel sidelined, one of Cristhian Mosquera or Piero Hincapie could start in the left centre-back role.
Mosquera has primarily played as the right-sided centre-back at Arsenal and has provided good cover for Saliba this term.
However, the Spaniard made his name as a left centre-back during his time at Valencia and can slot into the position too.
Hincapie could still get the nod over the 21-year-old, as he does not provide the same aerial presence as Magalhaes.
Mosquera has won only 36 percent of his aerial duels this campaign. His success rate stood at 45 percent in La Liga last term. This has been a notable area of weakness for him.
Hincapie has made just two substitute league appearances for Arsenal, but he is more dominant aerially. The Ecuadorian won 61 percent of his aerials in the Bundesliga in 2024/25.
On top of this, the 23-year-old is naturally left-footed. The £44 million-rated star could finally make his first Premier League start for the Gunners in the north London derby.
If Calafiori is deemed unfit, Myles Lewis-Skelly looks likely to make his first league start of the season. The 19-year-old recently lost his spot in the England squad amid the lack of playing time.
Lewis-Skelly could be presented with a brilliant opportunity to prove his credentials this weekend. A standout performance against Spurs could boost his starting prospects in the league.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com
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