"Both of them had little niggles, they weren't comfortable continuing. We knew this could be a possibility, especially in the conditions we were playing in today. We had to take them off."
"They had issues and they've been carrying issues. The amount of games we've been playing it's obviously super demanding. This was the only time to try to make sure we can clean those issues they've been having to start the next sequence of two weeks before the break to make sure they are in the best possible way."
Arsenal progressed through the FA Cup with a 2-1 victory over Mansfield, securing their place in the quarter-finals and maintaining their pursuit of all four competitions. Manager Mikel Arteta employed a back-three formation initially but adjusted tactically after injuries forced changes. Leandro Trossard and Riccardo Calafiori both sustained issues during the match, with Arteta attributing some injury concerns to the pitch conditions. Arteta made nine changes to the lineup, leaving key players including Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi, and Gabriel out of the squad entirely. Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber appeared only late in the second half. Arteta explained these decisions were made to manage accumulated injuries and fatigue from the demanding fixture schedule, allowing players to recover before the Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen.
Read at www.standard.co.uk
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