Mikel Arteta’s side were in action against Mansfield Town in the FA Cup when the injury blow occured
Arsenal have been dealt a huge injury blow in their FA Cup clash with Mansfield Town after Leandro Trossard was forced off against the League One side.
The Belgian was forced off after just 37 minutes, with the Gunners drawing 0-0 with the Stags after a bright opening half hour or so.
Trossard went down inside the Mansfield half unchallenged and was clearly frustrated as he made his way off the pitch, where he was replaced by Piero Hincapie.
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Arsenal boss opted to field an attack-minded side for the clash with Nigel Clough’s men, playing a back three from the off, with several forwards on the pitch.
Youngsters Max Dowman and Marli Salmon started the game at the One Call Stadium, with the former impressing.
However, that injury to Trossard forced the Gunners’ head coach into a reshuffle with Hincapie coming on in place of the Belgian attacker.
It was a move that instantly paid off, with Arsenal shifting to a back four, moving Christian Norgaard into midfield.
Noni Madueke broke the deadlock in the 41st minute, with a brilliant curling effort from the edge of the box, leaving Stags’ shot stopper Liam Roberts scrambling.
Arsenal knew coming into the tie that it was a potential banana skin, and Mansfield came flying out the blocks.
Rhys Oates posed a constant danger for Mansfield and nearly found the target with a curling strike.
He repeatedly troubled Calafiori as the 31-year-old found space in behind on several occasions, though the hosts couldn’t provide the crucial final touch.
Dowman almost marked his senior debut with a goal, but could only direct his attempt directly at Roberts.
The Mansfield shot-stopper was left scrambling from Madueke’s corner delivery, but was rescued by the frame of the goal.
For Trossard, it represents further fitness concerns in what’s proving an increasingly frustrating campaign for the attacker.
He was substituted last month after suffering a knock in the closing stages of the victory over Sunderland, though he recovered in time to feature against Brentford five days afterwards and has remained part of Arsenal’s matchday squads since.