Arsenal injury update: Calafiori, Mosquera and Dowman return latest

Arsenal began 2026 in commanding fashion with a dramatic 3–2 win away to Bournemouth, extending their lead at the top of the Premier League to six points.

The Gunners capitalised on Manchester City’s slip-up at Sunderland, while the surprise return of Declan Rice provided a major boost as he scored twice and completed the full 90 minutes without issue.

Arsenal emerged from the Vitality Stadium without any new injury concerns, allowing focus to return to several players already sidelined.

Riccardo Calafiori was a late withdrawal before Arsenal’s clash with Brighton & Hove Albion, forcing him to miss that match and the subsequent win over Aston Villa.

The Italy international was again absent at Bournemouth, with Piero Hincapie filling in at left-back after Myles Lewis-Skelly previously deputised.

Head coach Mikel Arteta described the issue as a “very awkward” injury sustained during the warm-up, confirming Calafiori would not be available for the trip to the south coast.

Potential return date: January 8 vs Liverpool (H)

Cristhian Mosquera has been sidelined since early December after suffering what Arteta described as a complicated ankle injury.

The former Valencia defender has missed a run of fixtures, with the severity of the issue exceeding initial expectations.

“He’s going to be out for weeks unfortunately,” Arteta admitted last month. “It’s much more than what we expected.”

Potential return date: January 17 vs Nottingham Forest (A)

Highly-rated teenager Max Dowman is also unavailable after injuring his ankle during a behind-closed-doors friendly against Manchester United in December.

Dowman has since been removed from Arsenal’s Champions League squad to accommodate the return of Gabriel Jesus.

Although surgery has not been required, the youngster is expected to remain sidelined into the new year.

Potential return date: February 2026

With Rice back and no fresh problems emerging, Arsenal’s squad depth is beginning to stabilise at a crucial stage of the title race. Managing the reintegration of Calafiori while navigating the longer absences of Mosquera and Dowman will be key as demanding fixtures approach.