Arsenal have been rocked by the news that David Luiz’s suspension will stand.
The Football Association confirmed that the Gunners have been unsuccessful in appealing the Brazilian’s red card, received controversially in the midweek defeat away to Wolves.
It gives Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta a bit of a dilemma for Saturday’s visit to Aston Villa.
Rob Holding is guaranteed to start but, with Pablo Mari absent and Gabriel rusty after spending a month on the sidelines following a COVID diagnosis, Arteta might just recall Calum Chambers to his first XI.
The former Southampton centre-back, a £16 million signing in 2014, hasn’t played in the Premier League this season and hasn’t kicked a ball in this competition at all since December of 2019 due to injury.
Even when he has played in recent weeks, Gabriel has looked very short on confidence and Holding simply has more experience when playing alongside his fellow Englishman.
With Bernd Leno already suspended, this Luiz news is a major blow but maybe, just maybe, there’s a silver lining in the form of potentially seeing Chambers return to the fold.
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