Manchester United did win the game 3-1, last night in the fourth round FA CUP tie against Gunners at Emirates Stadium but it was as early as the 17th minute when the result was weighing towards the Red Devils.
The experienced Sokratis had to limp off in the 17th minute when he tried to tackle the aerial ball past Lingard but fell on the ground only to twist his ankle. The reaction from Greek was that he had injured his knee or ankle and was in great pain. He tried to get back on his feet but unable to do so, was replaced by Mustafi. The reactions of commentators will help us better.
“It’s not looking great this,” noted Guy Mowbray on commentary.
“No,” Jermaine Jenas concurred. “Whenever there’s not many people around you and this sort of thing happens it tends to be pretty bad, unfortunately.”
“It’s the last thing [Emery] needs,” Jenas added. “We heard Martin Keown talking at the beginning of the show about partnerships and the fact that Laurent Koscielny coming back, that was something that could work on together.”
But it was Laurent Koscielny’s broken jaw that added fuel to Emery’s fury. Arsenal were only a goal behind when the incident that took Laurent out of the pitch happened.
The 33-year-old Frenchman was trying to tackle the ball coming giant Lukaku’s way but fell down behind the Belgian and it was Lukaku’s boot that kissed Laurent’s face which led to bleed. The medics were on as early as they could to stop the bleeding but the jaw did not help Koscielny to come back on the pitch.
The game had been stopped for almost 10 minutes, such was the bruise near Koscielny’s ear. Whether he is on a break or not is yet to be ascertained.
Manager Unai Emery may have lost his two experienced candidate and was in no way happy. While talking to the press about the two, he said hope they are not two big injuries,” he said. “Sokratis hurt his ankle – I hope not a lot. Koscielny is different. It was maybe a break. I hope not but he’s going to the hospital and we’re going to wait.”
Asked specifically on Koscielny’s broken jaw, the manager said. “He is going to the hospital for analysis, Maybe he has a break, I hope not.”
The Spaniard believed it was Koscielny’s injury that lost the game for Arsenal. He said,”These injuries, above all the second with Koscielny did not help us. The rhythm went down and we had to change other players at centre-back.”
The defensive syndrome just keeps on adding for Unai Emery. With Hector Bellerin and Rob Holding already on a season long injury, Sokratis and Koscielny not available in the squad will increase the feebleness of his team. Let’s hope Koscielny does well in the hospital and is back as soon as possible.
