(Back injury? Bit of a worry for recurrences if true)

So assuming Saliba's out today and knowing Tomiyasu has something more serious, it must be either:

• Gabriel and Holding plus White at rightback
• Gabriel and Kiwior plus White at rightback

That's assuming Zaha plays left, I see he's played quite a lot up front lately. Really wouldn't want to see too much of Kiwior or Holding marking him.

It must be tempting to give Kiwior his wish and drop him into Saliba's place if you're Arteta, not his preferred side but he can play there in theory.

Clrnc I don’t think we were trying to lose the game. I think he put enough players out there to win the game. But they failed.

Burnwinter I think Gabriel might also have played on both sides for us during the lockdown season, so there's that option. He's been such a boss on the left though...

RocktheCasbah generally not a fan of disrupting two positions trying to improve one. Just stick Holding in there or if Kiwior is comfortable, play him.

Clrnc do you really think we were trying to lose the game?

Tam Trying to lose it with our post-shot xG of 2.8?

RocktheCasbah On the left is a crazy role due to what Zinchenko does, really think Gabriel would have to stay there.

Just play Holding. He's a competent player and used to the league. Throwing Kiwior in is a lot of pressure on the young man.

Tam There were some who suggested we weren't playing to win because we rested 2 players which I thought was ridiculous.

Our players and manager looked serious about the game and was very disappointed we lost.

Clrnc I think that's true and right, but I also don't think you can say that we attacked this tie with the same intensity and ferocity - almost desperation - that we've approached the PL with this season.

Praying for Saliba now and an uneventful interlul. Really do not want to go to Anfield with Holding or Kiwior at CB.

Arteta didn’t sound overly concerned about Saliba. Can imagine back pain will keep him out for long if he’s able to walk around with ease.

Takehiro is out for the season. Hopefully better news for Saliba to come.

goon that's fair. Hopefully you got from my post, I was just saying it is an option, not necessarily that we should do it. Hopefully Rob Holding continues to play like he did yesterday - we'll be golden. Golden Rob Holding.

Our injury luck is absolutely mind boggling. Will it ever end?

I'd say we haven't been unlucky this season. We've had Jesus and ESR out for a long time, but if we look at it as 11 starting XI players * 38 matches = 418 "spots" to fill - then I'd wager we've filled more of those with players we consider to be in our strongest XI than anyone else in the league.

In terms of "total injury games" we're ranked about seventh lowest I think. City are second lowest with about 40% less than us. Unsure if that's first XI only.

The bar chart is going round in the United thread. We've been far from cursed, but we've had plenty of injuries.

MistaT a lot of that is coaching and squad design. You see how they all play, all do the warm downs together every game, and would have other fitness measures behind the scenes.

The other underrated quality of a player is pure availability. There were times we would depend on a midfield of Ramsey, Wilshere and other older or injured players like Cazorla or Arteta. That’s just poor squad design. It’s planning hot failure - because unless you have Manchester City money, you will end up playing squads weakened in multiple places. If you are able to start 8 really strong players every match, that’s a great Ingredient

These are phenomenal athletes we have. Mattinelli played 120 minutes Thursday and was a live wire Sunday. Xhaka, Gabriel, Odegaard, always play like it’s their last game