Arsenal suffer huge blow with Pablo Mari out for rest of season after Man City ankle injury

ARSENAL have been dealt a huge injury blow with Pablo Mari out for the season.

The centre-half managed just 22 minutes of the 3-0 loss to Manchester City in the Gunners' first game back of Project Restart.

The Spaniard went down with an ankle injury and was eventually replaced by calamitous David Luiz.

That substitution couldn't have gone much worse as Luiz was at fault for Raheem Sterling's opening goal and was then sent off after tugging back Riyad Mahrez in the area.

Kevin De Bruyne stepped up to score from the spot which effectively ended the game as a contest.

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Luiz will be suspended for the next two games after receiving his second red card of the season.

It could prove to be Mari's last action in that famous red and white shirt as his loan from Flamengo expires at the end of the season.

He might require surgery on the ankle.

Arsenal had not conceded a goal in the 204 minutes the 26-year-old had been on the pitch for them.

Granit Xhaka went off with just eight minutes on the clock and is struggling for Saturday's trip to Brighton.

Boss Arteta admitted: “We need to see how many players we have fit because it was a big hit losing three players in key areas where we are very short.”